Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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122. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time for a decision on appeal for social protection payments paid on a weekly basis in cases where there is no oral hearing and in cases where there is an oral hearing in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40221/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The average appeal processing time for all appeals determined to date in 2016 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the following table.

Significant effort and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeals process in recent years resulting in a marked improvement in overall appeal processing times. The average time taken to determine an appeal requiring an oral hearing reduced from 52.5 weeks in 2011 to 25.5 weeks in 2015 and the average time taken to finalise an appeal decided by way of a summary decision dropped from 25.1 weeks in 2011 to 18.1 weeks in 2015. This downward trend in overall appeal processing times has continued to date in 2016 to 24.2 weeks for an oral hearing and 17.6 weeks for a summary decision.

Notwithstanding these improvements, the Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that appeal processing times will continue to be a priority for her office and will continue to be monitored on an ongoing basis.

The quasi-judicial nature of the appeals system means that there are inevitable time-lags involved. However the system is designed to be flexible and fair and allows for review and submission of further information at all stages. The time taken is proportionate to the complexity of many of the issues under appeal which require a high level of judgement, and the need to ensure due process and natural justice.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Appeal processing times by scheme 01/01/2016 - 30/11/2016