Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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419. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason an appeal for domiciliary care allowance has not been assigned to an appeals officer in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9633/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10^th October 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 28^th January 2014 and the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.