Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No 193 of 25 September 2012, the average waiting period for such an appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42508/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The current average time taken to process State Pension (Transition) appeals is 20.2 weeks for appeals decided by summary decision and 49.5 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. The average for oral hearing excludes two protracted cases registered before 2011, and withdrawn and closed in 2012. 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 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.