Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13498/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, allowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. 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.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Social Protection, further to Parliamentary Question No. 175 of 10 May 2011, considering the average processing times are calculated employing the dates of finalisation, the reason it has not been possible in the past to provide figures for the longest processing times across various schemes in response to parliamentary questions on same and if she will now provide a breakdown of the longest waiting times for a decision on appeals for each scheme. [13501/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the report referred to by the Deputy is a report produced by the appeals computer system which generates the average processing times for appeals by scheme. The system works by calculating the number of days for each case from registration to finalisation and averages the total.

No report is available which shows the longest individual waiting times for decided cases and to design such a report would require an enhancement to the suite of reports currently available from this system. I am also advised that such information may in any event be of little value as the longest awaiting appeals are generally held up by extraordinary circumstances such as court proceedings.

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.