Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare regarding their jobseeker's benefit application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29281/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department made 9 additional appointments to the office earlier this year.

While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made. 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.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a decision will be made on a rent allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29286/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a Supplementary Welfare Allowance appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29th September 2011 and will be referred to an Appeals Officer in due course, 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when an appeal in respect of an application for disability allowance will be heard in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29287/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly impacted on the processing time for appeals which require oral hearings and, in order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. In the context of dealing with the considerable number of appeals now on hand, the Department made 9 additional appointments to the office earlier this year.

While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting oral hearing as quickly as possible, it is not possible to give a date when the person's oral hearing will be heard, but s/he will be informed when arrangements have been made. 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when an oral hearing will take place in respect of an application for domiciliary care allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29289/11]

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 available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. Following the submission of additional evidence the Appeals Officer agreed to review the case. The Appeal Officer concluded that there were insufficient grounds for a revision of his earlier decision.

Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. The legislation also provides that an Appeals Officer may decide a case before him/her on the basis of the documentary evidence. This course of action was taken in this case as it was considered that an oral hearing was not warranted. 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.