Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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343. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if permission for a late appeal will be accepted in the case of refusal of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25687/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An application for Disability Allowance by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 4 February 2012. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no trace of any appeal against this decision having been received from the person concerned.

In the normal course, an appeal against the decision of a Deciding Officer must be made within 21 days of a decision being notified. Appeals received outside of this time limit may be accepted at the discretion of the Chief Appeals Officer. This limit is not rigidly enforced but in view of the length of time which has elapsed since the person concerned was notified of the Deciding Officer’s decision and in the absence of any explanation for his failure to submit an appeal within the prescribed timeframe, I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that it is unlikely that an appeal would be accepted at this late stage.

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.