Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare appeals nationally; the payment application to which the appeal relates; the specific breakdown for County Donegal; and if she will provide in tabular form each appeal category and the length of time of appeals on a three, six, nine and 12 and 12+ month category. [44916/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am advised the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there were 21,674 appeals being processed on 12th October 2012, broken down as requested by scheme type in the table attached. Statistics are not maintained on a County basis.

In an effort to reduce the processing times for all appeals, the Department has appointed 15 additional Appeals Officers since 2010. In addition, a further ten Appeals Officers, formerly employed by the Community Welfare Services (CWS) of the Health Services Executive joined the Office as part of the integration of the CWS appeals services into the Social Welfare Appeals Office, bringing the total number of Appeals Officers now serving in the Office to 41. In addition to this the Office has improved its business processes and IT support.

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.

Table: Appeals on hand at 12 October 2012

SCHEME Period Open (Months) Appeals open