Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 273: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there is a waiting list in relation to oral hearings of social welfare claims; if so, the period of time an applicant has to wait; the number on the waiting list; the number of appeal officers employed by his Department; if there are vacancies of staff due to illness or retirement; if so, the number of placements vacant; the procedures in place in the interim to ensure that the applicant has income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8059/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am advised that the Social Welfare Appeals Office receives in excess of 14,000 appeals each year and that the provision of a prompt service remains a major customer service objective of that Office. Available resources are prioritized to the greatest possible extent so as to achieve the best possible standard of service to its customers. At the same time, however, it is necessary to ensure that improvements in processing times are achieved in a manner which is not in conflict with the demands of natural justice and the requirement that every appeal be fully investigated and examined on all its merits.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that as of 21 February 2008 there were 1,576 persons awaiting an oral hearing of their appeal of whom 340 have been notified of a date for their hearing. Oral hearings are granted at the discretion of the Appeals Officer usually in circumstances where there is a conflict of evidence presented by the parties and where an oral hearing is requested by the appellant in order to present his or her case to the Appeals Officer.

During 2006, the last year for which statistics have been published, the average time taken to process all appeals (oral hearings and those decided summarily) was 21 weeks. When allowance is made for the 25% most protracted cases, the average time was reduced to 13.8 weeks. Given the logistics involved in organising oral hearings including, allowing sufficient advance notice to the appellant, it is estimated that the average time to finalise an appeal is increased by about 8 weeks where an oral hearing is involved.

Processing times cover all phases of the appeal process including the submission by my Department of its comments on the grounds for the appeal, further medical examination by my Department's medical assessors in certain sickness related cases and the arrangements for the holding of oral hearings which are currently afforded in two out of every three cases determined by Appeals Officers.

There are currently 18 Appeals Officers assigned to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and there are no vacancies at present due to illness or retirement. Persons awaiting the determination of their appeal and who are without a basic income may apply for supplementary welfare allowance which is administered on behalf of my Department by the Health Service Executive.