Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the rate of exit from jobseeker's payments, for example, the number who left a jobseeker's allowance or jobseekers benefit payment as a percentage of the totals on these payments at a fixed monthly point, perhaps that start or end of each month, in each of the past 12 months. [34572/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The numbers of people whose jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit claim closed, together with the percentage of total claims that represented, is set out in the attached tabular statement covering closures during the period from October 2009 to September 2010.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the rate of jobseeker's benefit can be increased in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [34647/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for a jobseeker's payment, a person must have sustained a substantial loss in both earnings and days worked each week. The person concerned applied for jobseeker's benefit on 1 September, 2010. A Deciding Officer, having examined her work pattern, determined that she had not sustained a loss of employment. Consequently, she is not currently entitled to jobseeker's benefit. It is open to the person concerned to appeal the Deciding Officer's decision and a form for this purpose has been issued to her.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34791/10]

Éamon 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 was received in that office on 13 September 2010, via the person's Local Office, along with the relevant Departmental papers and documents by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of the appeal. These papers will be referred in due course to an Appeals Officer who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.

There was a 46% increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2009 when compared to 2008, which in itself was 27% greater than the numbers received in 2007. There was an increase of a further 44% in the number of appeals received in the first eight months of 2010. These increases have caused delays in the processing of appeals. In order to be fair to all appellants, oral hearings are arranged in strict chronological order. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34792/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 30 June 2010. The person's claim was assessed by a medical assessor from this department who was of the opinion that she was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and refused her disability allowance claim. The person was advised of this decision by letter on 1 October 2010 and of her right of appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for an increase in OAP to a contributory pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34799/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The qualifying conditions for State pension (transition) require the applicant to ·

have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 55 years

have at least 260 paid contribution weeks since entry into insurance

satisfy the yearly average condition.

The person concerned applied for State pension (transition) in June 2009. His claim was disallowed on 6th July 2009, on the grounds that he does not satisfy the contribution condition as he only has a total of 233 paid contributions. In the notification of this decision, the person concerned was advised of his right of appeal to the independent Appeals Office. The person concerned is currently in receipt of a means-tested State pension (non-contributory) at the maximum weekly rate.