Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the date an appeal for carer's allowance was received by the social welfare appeals office for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason it has taken over ten months without an oral hearing being scheduled to finalise the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43790/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A carer's allowance appeal from the person concerned was opened on 07 January 2009 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that this case has been considered by an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing. The logistics in arranging an oral hearing can add at least 8 weeks to normal processing times.

There has been a 44% increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office to 25 November 2009 when compared to the same period in 2008, which in itself was 27% greater than the numbers received in 2007. This has caused delays in the processing of appeals and, in order to be fair to all appellants, oral hearings are arranged in strict chronological order. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements 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.