Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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398. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting times for decisions on carer's allowance applications in the first instance; and the current waiting times for decisions to be made on carer's allowance appeals before the social welfare appeals office. [50504/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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New applications for carer’s allowance are actioned promptly upon receipt and the current average time taken to decide a new carer’s allowance application is 8 weeks. It should be noted that the processing time for individual applications can vary depending on the complexity of the applicant's circumstances and the completeness of the information they provide in support of their application. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the current average time taken to process a carer's allowance appeal is 28.7 weeks overall. Carer's allowance appeals which are decided by summary decision currently take an average of 27.7 weeks and those requiring an oral hearing take an average of 33.6 weeks.

Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. This includes all activities during this period including time spent awaiting any clarification from the appellant, time in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant, further investigate of additional evidence submitted, examination or assessment by the Department’s inspectors or medical assessors that is deemed necessary. Only when these reviews have been carried out and where there is no change to the decision to disallow a claim, will the file be then sent to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for consideration of the appeal. Every effort is made to process appeals in as timely a manor as possible while providing the appellant with every opportunity to have their case fully heard.