Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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231. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if the means assessment when carried out by his Department took account of the fact that the asset, which the person owns, is jointly owned. [32897/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.

In the determination of this appeal, the Appeals Officer concluded that the assessment of means of the person concerned by the Department was correct. The means are based on 50% of the capital value of property which is jointly owned by the person concerned.

The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.

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.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.