Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will request the social welfare appeals office to reschedule, as speedily as possible, a date for oral hearing in respect of the disability allowance appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan. [40083/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an oral hearing was scheduled for the person concerned on 3rd October 2011. The appellant notified the Social Welfare Appeal that he had a hospital appointment on the same day and the Oral Hearing was duly cancelled. The case has been re-listed for an oral hearing and will be re-scheduled at the earliest available date.

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.

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 138: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when a decision will issue in respect of an appeal for disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40085/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 23rd November 2011 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the Social Welfare services on the matter raised in the appeal have been sought. In that context, an assessment by another Medical Assessor will be carried out.

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.