Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 460: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when an appeal was first received in the social welfare appeals office; the length of time the appeal has been there; the progress that has been made on the appeal to date; and when a decision can be expected on this appeal. [22219/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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An application for carer's allowance, by the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 5 November 2008 on the grounds that the person concerned was not providing full-time care and attention in respect of the care recipient.

An appeal was received on 16 November 2008 and I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with the statutory requirements, the Department was requested for the documentation in the case and the Deciding Officer's comments on the grounds of the appeal. These were received on 15 April 2009 and the case was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements for this hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.