Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the length of time it takes for an appeal for disability allowance, invalidity pension and domiciliary care allowance to be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28473/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the current average times taken to process disability allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 30.8 weeks and 40.8 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. For invalidity pension appeals the relevant times are 35.3 weeks and 57.7 weeks while the relevant times for domiciliary care allowance are 28.5 weeks and 41.8 weeks.

These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They 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. By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial nature, the processing of appeals takes time even at the best of times and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.