Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when domiciliary care allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [40948/11]

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 27 October 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 3 January 2012 and the appeal will be assigned, in due course, to 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.

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been asked to submit a form when it has already been supplied; when a decision on the case will be forthcoming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40980/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the person concerned submitted a letter to Carrigaline Local Office appealing the decision of the Deciding Officer in this case. This letter was received in that office on 10 October 2011 and the case was referred to Social Welfare Inspector on 26 October 2011 for further investigation who upheld the decision of the Deciding Officer.

Following this, the person's correspondence was then forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeal Office who sent a form to the appellant in order to fully outline the up to date grounds of her appeal.