Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing carer's allowance appeals; the average timeframe for appeals to be decided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5359/13]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in processing jobseeker's allowance appeals; the average timeframe for appeals to be decided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5360/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the current average time taken to process carer’s allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 33.2 weeks and 42.2 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. The current average time taken to process jobseeker’s allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 21.5 weeks and 28.5 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. 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.

Significant resources and efforts have been put into reducing backlogs and improving processing times for appellants, including the assignment of 15 additional Appeals Officers, improving business processes and implementing a new operating model.

- The Chief Appeals Officer expects to finalise 6,000 more cases in 2013 than in 2012 (There were 32,558 appeals finalised in 2012).

- There is a major programme of process redesign and modernisation currently underway in relation to many scheme areas which will reduce backlogs and will also reduce the time taken for the Department to respond to requests from the SWAO for submissions in relation to appeals.

- It is planned to recruit additional Medical Assessors in 2013.

All these measures together will reduce the waiting time for appellants. However, by its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial process, the processing of appeals takes time even at the best of times and reflects the fact that while every effort is made to deal with appeals as fast as possible this cannot be at the expense of fairness of due process.