Written answers

Thursday, 17 June 2010

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Appeals

5:00 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when an oral hearing will take place in respect of a person (details supplied); the steps he is taking to reduce the waiting time for these hearings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26101/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in the case. The person concerned will be notified when the necessary arrangements have been made.

A number of initiatives are currently underway designed to enhance the capacity of the office to deal with the current caseload and inflows. In that regard:

· 2 additional Appeals Officers were assigned to the Office in 2009,

· A number of additional staff are being assigned to the administration area of the Office,

· The organisation of the Appeals Officer's work has been changed so as to increase productivity,

· A project to improve the business processes in the office is underway and a number of improvements have already been implemented,

· Significant enhancements are being made to the Office's IT and phone systems.

Notwithstanding these measures, it is clear that further additional staff will be required in the short term to address the backlog that has developed. Any such staff must be very experienced and be in a position to operate without significant training. Therefore it has been decided to use experienced retired staff strictly on a short term basis to supplement the current resources. The Social Welfare Appeals Officer functions independently of the Minister of Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

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