Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals to the social welfare appeals office that were successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41133/11]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding appeals for disability allowance and other subjects; the average length of time for such appeals; the reason for the delays; and if her attention has been drawn to the hardship to applicants as a consequence of these delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41247/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 390 together.

I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that 34,027 appeals were processed during 2011 of which 6,035 were revised in favour of the appellant by the Deciding Officer without the necessity for ultimate referral to an Appeals Officer for determination. A further 2,602 appeals were withdrawn. Of the 25,390 appeals determined by Appeals Officers, 8,331 (32.8%) were successful or partly successful.

The table shows the position regarding the number of appeals for disability allowance and other schemes on hands at the end of 2011 and the average length of time to process such appeals which were finalised in 2011. Overall, the average processing time for all appeals in 2011 was 25.1 weeks in cases dealt with by way of summary decisions and 52.5 weeks where an oral hearing was required.

These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation and include all activities during this period including time spent in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department's Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. A considerable period of time is added to the process when an oral hearing is required because of the logistics involved in this process.

I am assured by the Chief Appeals Officer that she is keeping the methods of operation by which the Social Welfare Appeals Office conducts its business under constant review, and that the processes are continuously being enhanced to reduce the backlogs in the Office and, overall, to reduce the processing times for dealing with appeals.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 June 2011. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration and the Appeals Officer has referred this case back to the Social Welfare Services Office for clarification on certain issues. On receipt of their response, the case will be further considered by the Appeals Officer. 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 379: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an appeal in respect of an application for invalidity pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41137/11]

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 9 August 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 30 November 2011 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.