Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reasons for allowing social welfare claims, by category, on appeal; if the number of appeals can be reduced by addressing some or all of these reasons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12958/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that they do not hold statistics on reasons for allowing appeals. However, that office works with the Department on an ongoing basis to ensure that initial decision making in the Department is improved. This is achieved through meetings with various areas of the Department, including, in particular the Decisions Advisory Office which exercises a supervisory role in relation to the statutory submission of appeal documentation by Deciding Officers. These meetings allow for elaboration of appeal decisions and for feedback to the Department in relation to issues, legislative and/or administrative practices that may have been the subject of contention at appeal.

The Decisions Advisory Office is responsible for ensuring decisions made on social welfare claims are consistent and of good quality. To this end, guidelines are issued by the Department in relation to the legislation concerned to ensure consistency of decision making by deciding officers throughout the Department. In addition, training is provided to deciding officers on their statutory obligations and the application of the principles of natural justice and fair procedures.

While 42.7% of appeals had a successful outcome for the appellant in 2010, of the 12,029 favourable decisions on appeal cases, almost two thirds of these decisions (7,282) were in fact revised decisions made by statutorily appointed deciding officers of my Department, who reviewed the claim following the initial disallowance. These revised decisions arose as a result, in many cases, of new facts or fresh evidence produced by the claimant after the original decision on his /her claim. In such cases an Appeals Officer decision was not necessary. In addition, it should be noted that of the 17,499 appeals decided by Appeals Officers, a total of 12,752 (73%) upheld the original decision of the Deciding Officer. In line with the Department's policy to promote the provision of information, the guidelines referred to above are also available to members of the public on the Department's website www.welfare.ie or on request from any social welfare local office.