Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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70. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average time between an appeal of a decision being registered and the appeal being considered; the causes of delays; the steps her Department is taking to make any necessary improvements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1333/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The average appeal processing time for 2014 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the following table.

Appeal processing times peaked in 2011 when the average time for an oral hearing was 52.5 weeks and for a summary decision was 25.1 weeks. In 2012 the average processing time for an oral hearing dropped to 39.5 weeks and the time for a summary decision increased slightly to 27.8 weeks. Further improvements were achieved in 2013, when the average appeal processing time reduced to 33.9 weeks for an oral hearing and 25.8 weeks for a summary decision. As at December 2014 the average time taken to process an appeal requiring an oral hearing has reduced to 28.7 weeks and for a summary decision to 21.4 weeks.

The reduction in processing time reflects the significant resources which have been invested in the Social Welfare Appeals Office over the last number of years.

In addition to the improvement in processing times, these measures have also led to a significant reduction in the number of appeals on hand from 20,414 at 1 January 2013 to 9,480 at 12 January 2015.

Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include 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, and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. While this process carries an inherent delay in terms of finalising an appeal, it also crystalises the flexibility and accessibility of the appeals system. By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial function, the processing of appeals takes time and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.

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.

Appeals Processing Times by Scheme 2014