Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons in whole time equivalent terms employed in the social welfare appeals office in each of the past five years including the number at present; the number of staff lost due to the various incentive schemes over the past 18 months to two years. [17493/10]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average waiting time for an appeal to be heard in the social welfare appeals office. [17494/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together.

The statistics requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of persons employed in the Social Welfare Appeals Office during the past 5 years are given in the following table.

The Chief Appeals Officer and 2 admin staff availed of the Incentivised Early Retirement Scheme in 2009, in addition to 5 experienced Appeals Officers who retired in the normal way.

I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that during 2009 the average time taken to process all appeals (i.e. those decided summarily and by way of oral hearing) was 24 weeks. However, if allowance was made for the 25% most protracted cases, the average time fell to 15.8 weeks. This represents an increase of 2 weeks in the time taken to process appeals when compared to 2008, but must be seen in the context of an increase of 46% in the number of appeals received during 2009. There has been an increase of a further 46% in the receipt of appeals in the first quarter of 2010 when compared to the same period last year.

During 2009, a total of 17,787 appeals were finalised of which 4,873 (26.9%) were revised on review by the Deciding Officer in favour of the appellant without going to appeal; 10,027 decisions were made by Appeals Officers of which 59.9% were decided following an oral hearing with the remaining 40.1% decided following a summary examination of the documentary evidence produced. 2,887 appeals were withdrawn or not otherwise pursued by the appellant. The processing time for appeals covers all phases of the appeal process including the submission by the Department of its comments on the grounds for the appeal, further examination by the Department's Medical Assessors in certain illness related cases, further investigation by Social Welfare Inspectors where required and circumstances may also arise where further information is sought from the appellant.

To deal with the increased workload being experienced by the Social Welfare Appeals Office, two additional Appeals Officers were appointed during 2009. The possibility of assigning further additional resources on a temporary basis is currently under consideration. In addition, changes have recently been made to processes in the Social Welfare Appeals Office with a view to achieving additional productivity. I am assured by the Chief Appeals Officer that she is keeping the outcome of these changes under continuous review to ensure the optimum throughput of appeals with full regard to due process in terms of the rights of appellants and adherence to the requirements of natural justice.