Written answers

Tuesday, 9 November 2010

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 am

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 304: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when an application will be processed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41062/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The person in question has been awarded domiciliary care allowance following a review of her application on 26th October 2010. Her monthly payment, including any arrears due, will commence from 16th November 2010.

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if arrears of payment of mortgage interest relief due to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be expedited [41148/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that they are currently calculating the amount of arrears due to the person concerned and that payment will issue to the person concerned in due course.

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if arrears of payment of mortgage interest relief due to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be expedited

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that they are currently calculating the amount of arrears due to the person concerned and that payment will issue to the person concerned in due course.

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in view of the fact that this appeal was lodged six months ago [41194/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17 May 2010. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received back in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 06 September 2010 and the appeal 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.

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:

· 3 additional Appeals Officers have been assigned to that Office since January 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.

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.

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