Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 373: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when an appeal will be heard in respect of an application for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23666/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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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 21 March 2011. 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 in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 14 June 2011 and the appeal has now been assigned an Appeals Officer who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing.

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.