Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments administered by her Department which are subject to a means test of medical qualification; the number of applications in both categories approved in the first instance in each of the past three years to date; the number referred to appeal, the average length of time taken to process such appeals including an indication of the longest and shortest waiting periods; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11624/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the payments administered by my Department which are subject to a means test and/or medical qualification has been collated up to the end of January 2013 and is contained in the following tabular statement A.

With respect to the information requested in relation to the number of appeals received and the appeals processing times I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that these statistics have been collated up to the end of February and the available information is contained in the following tabular statement B.

By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial process, the processing of appeals takes time. While every effort is made to deal with appeals as fast as possible this cannot be at the expense of fairness of due process.

Table A: Means/Medical Qualification Tested Claims Registered and Awarded in the first instance 2010 to January 2013

*Figures for 2010 are for May to December ONLY as due to industrial action data returns were not given in months January to April.

Table B - Means /Medical Qualification Tested Appeals Received and Processing Times 2010 to February 2013