Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average time taken in 2010 to date to process an application for carer's allowance and carer's benefit; the percentage of applications that were refused on first application for each; the percentage of refused applications that have been appealed; the percentage that were allowed on appeal; the time it takes to process an appeal; if he will indicate the shortest time within which an appeal was processed; the longest time within which an appeal has been processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37708/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The average time taken to assess a claim for carer's allowance between January 2010 and the end of September 2010 is 9 weeks. The target of the scheme is set at 90% in 12 weeks and the standard achieved for 2010 to date is 78% in 12 weeks. A total of 13,894 applications were received in 2010 to date and a total of 11,541 have being decided. 45% of the total claims decided were refused on first application and 41% of this number was appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

In the case of Carer's Benefit, the average time to assess a claim was 9.2 weeks during the same period. The percentage of claims refused on first application was 34%, of which 32% were appealed.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that a total of 1,724 carer's appeals were finalised in that Office from 1 January to 30 September 2010. The table below gives a breakdown of the outcome of these appeals.

Outcome of Carers' Appeals received 1 January to 30 September 2010

The average time taken to process Carer's allowance appeals by the Social Welfare Appeals Office is 29 weeks and 25 weeks for Carer's benefit. There are no figures available on the shortest or longest time to process an appeal.

There was a 46% increase in the overall 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. While this growth is clearly impacting on processing times, it must also be remembered that these processing times cover all phases of the appeal process including the submission by the Department of its comments on the grounds for the appeal and, in the case of some Carers appeals, a second assessment must be carried out by the Department's Medical Assessors.

On the return of the papers and comments to the Social Welfare Appeals Office the case is referred to an Appeals Officer who will either make a summary decision based on the documentary evidence or, if s/he considers it necessary, will list the case for

oral hearing.

Given the logistics involved in organising an oral hearing, a considerable period of time is added to the process. In order to be fair to all appellants, the vetting of appeals and the arranging of oral hearings are being dealt with in chronological order.

A number of initiatives have been put in place 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 were 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 was undertaken which has resulted in a number of improvements being implemented, and

· Significant enhancements have been made to the office's IT and phone systems.

· In addition, it was decided to use experienced retired staff strictly on a short term basis to supplement the current resources and the services of eight retired officers have now been secured on a part-time basis and have been operating since July.

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.