Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the turnaround time for appealing social welfare decisions; the measures being considered or implemented to reduce this time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32170/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Based on figures to the end of June 2012, the current average turnaround time for appeals dealt with by way of a summary decision is 26 weeks, and for those requiring an oral hearing is 40 weeks. 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.

In an effort to reduce the processing times, the Department has appointed an additional Appeals Officer who will be taking up duty in the coming weeks. Her appointment brings to 13 the number of additional Appeals Officer appointed since 2010. These are in addition to a further 10 Appeals Officers, formerly employed by the Community Welfare Services (CWS) of the Health Services Executive who joined the Office as part of the integration of the CWS appeals services into the Social Welfare Appeals Office. This brings the total number of Appeals Officers to 40. 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.