Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare has been refused payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3442/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Payment of invalidity pension to the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for invalidity pension. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal has been registered and that the person concerned has been afforded an opportunity of setting out the complete and up to date grounds of her appeal. On receipt of her response the relevant departmental papers will be requested from the Department and the appeal will then be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister of Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will urgently process a jobseeker's appeal review application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [3450/12]

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 1 December 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Social Welfare Services on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. 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.