Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for respite grants received on a monthly basis in each of the past three years to date; the number granted, refused or appealed in each period; the number of cases in which the original decision was overturned on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28488/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The respite care grant is an annual payment made to all persons providing full-time care, regardless of means or PRSI contributions, but subject to certain conditions. The grant is payable from the first Thursday in June of the year in question. The grant was extended to all carers in Budget 2005. Prior to this, only those in receipt of certain qualifying payments received the grant. Details on a monthly basis of "stand-alone" grant applications received, the number of payments issued and the number of applications refused, for the period from 2007 to 25 June 2010 are set out in tabular form.

In compiling the figures requested by the Deputy it has been discovered that some of the figures provided to the Deputy in my reply to his question of 20 April 2010 (ref no 15840/10) were incorrect. These have now been corrected in the following tables.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the statistics requested by the Deputy in respect of 2007, 2008, and 2009 are available in the annual report of that office for the relevant years. The information, in the format requested by the Deputy, is not readily available and the assembly and collation of such information would take time and, of necessity, divert resources away from the processing of appeals which is the top priority for the office.

2007 *

2008 *

2009 *

2010 *

* Some applications received are in respect of more than one year. Such applications are counted as single applications. However, the figures for payments reflect the actual number of payments made for both current and prior years. The month (or year) in which payments are issued and applications refused does not always correspond with the month (or year) in which the related applications are received. Thus, for any given period, the number of applications received does not equate with the number of payments issued and applications refused.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for domiciliary care or similar allowance received in respect of children deemed to be affected by autism, ADD, ADHD or severe forms of allergy received on a monthly basis in each of the past three years to date; the number granted, refused or appealed in each period; the number of cases in which the original decision was overturned on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28489/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that this Department has only been accepting new claims for Domiciliary Care Allowance since the 1st of April 2009 and holds no information in relation to decisions made prior to this date, when the scheme was administered by the HSE. The information currently available is for the period 1st April 2009 to 31st December 2009 and is not held on an individual month basis.

Of the applications processed in 2009, 286 applications had a medical condition of autism/autism spectrum disorder, 125 of which have been deemed eligible and 161 have been deemed not eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance. There were 103 appeals in relation to Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder, with 38 being allowed on review by a Deciding Officer on receipt of further information, 15 allowed by an Appeals Officer, 11 disallowed by an Appeals Officer and there are currently 39 appeals in progress with the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

In 2009, 372 applications had a medical condition of ADHD, 59 of which have been deemed eligible and 313 were deemed not eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance. There were 166 appeals in relation to ADHD, with 33 being allowed on review by a Deciding Officer on receipt of further information, 14 allowed by an Appeals Officer, 23 disallowed by an Appeals Officer and there are currently 96 appeals in progress with the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

There were 15 applications with a medical condition of ADD, 4 of which have been deemed eligible and 11 were deemed not eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance. There were 3 appeals in relation to ADD, with 1 appeal allowed by an Appeals Officer, 1 appeal disallowed by an Appeals Officer and there is currently 1 appeal in progress with the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

There were 4 applications with a medical condition of Allergies, 1 of which has been deemed eligible and 3 were deemed not eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance. There was 1 appeal in relation to a condition of Allergies, which was disallowed by an Appeals Officer.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer's allowance received on a monthly basis in each of the past three years to date; the number of granted, refused or appealed in each period; the number of cases in which the original decision was overturned on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28490/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is in tabular format. Figures regarding the number of Carer's Allowance claims appealed and the number of decisions overturned on appeal are not readily available on a monthly basis and are given on a yearly basis for the last 3 years. Carer's Allowance claims received, awarded & refused 2007 -2009

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for one parent family allowance on a monthly basis in each of the past three years to date; the number granted, refused or appealed in each period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28491/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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In the time available it is not possible to supply the statistics regarding the number of applications for One-Parent Family payment on a monthly basis. I will ensure that they are sent on to the Deputy as soon as they are to hand.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that statistical information in respect of 2007, 2008, and 2009 is available in the annual report of that Office for the relevant years. An extract from those reports is included. However, the information in the format requested by the Deputy is not readily available and the assembly and collation of such information would take time and, of necessity, divert resources away from processing of appeals which is the top priority for the office.

OFP appeals registered in the period Jan 2007 to end Dec 2007:

Total Registered 701

Appeal allowed/partly allowed 145

Appeal disallowed 377

Decision revised by DO 251

Appeal withdrawn by appellant 93

Total appeal finalised 866

OFP appeals registered in the period Jan 2008 to end Dec 2008:

Total Registered 774

Appeal allowed/partly allowed 121

Appeal disallowed 313

Decision revised by DO 166

Appeal withdrawn by appellant 82

Total appeal finalised 682

OFP appeals registered in the period Jan 2009 to end Dec 2009:

Total Registered 810

Appeal allowed/partly allowed 122

Appeal disallowed 324

Decision revised by DO 202

Appeal withdrawn by appellant 78

Total appeal finalised 726

OFP appeals registered in the period Jan 2010 to end Apr 2010:

Total Registered 385

Appeal allowed /partly allowed 25

Appeal disallowed 81

Decision revised by DO 74

Appeal withdrawn by appellant 30

Total appeal finalised 210

The statistics in respect of appeals are not kept in the same format as the One-Parent Family claims and therefore a breakdown by month is not available.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for sick benefit currently pending or on appeal; when the backlog is likely to be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28492/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of illness benefit claims pending decision at Friday 25 June 2010 was 7,698. At present the average time taken to process an illness benefit claim is nine calendar days. Claims from persons, who are not paid by their employer, are prioritised and processed within three days.

At present, the number of illness benefit cases on appeal is 2,895. I am assured by the Chief Appeals Officer that she is keeping current processes under continuous review with a view to achieving a more effective throughput of appeals, while ensuring that any progress does not conflict with due process in terms of the rights of appellants and adherence to the requirements of natural justice.