Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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527. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the file of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not yet been forwarded to the social welfare appeals office despite the fact that an appeal was registered on 10 December 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13569/14]

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 10th December 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 14th March 2014 and the case will be 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.