Written answers
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Appeals Data
Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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2034. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting time for domiciliary care allowance appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27687/17]
Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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2035. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting time for all social welfare appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27688/17]
Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2034 and 2035 together.
The current processing times for all social welfare appeals, including domiciliary care allowance appeals, are outlined in the following table below.
The time taken to process an appeal reflects all aspects of the appeal process including the time spent in the Department preparing the appeal submission. The quasi-judicial nature of the system impacts on appeal processing times which are proportionate to the complexity of many of the issues under appeal which often require a high level of judgement, in addition to the need to ensure due process and natural justice.
Overall appeal processing times peaked in 2011/2012 and have improved year on year since then. For example, the average time taken to determine an appeal requiring an oral hearing reduced from 52.5 weeks in 2011 to 28.6 weeks in 2014, 25.5 weeks in 2015 and 24.1 weeks in 2016. The average time taken to finalise an appeal decided by way of a summary decision reduced from 25.1 weeks in 2011 to 21.1 weeks in 2014, 18.1 weeks in 2015 and 17.6 weeks in 2016.
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.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeal processing times by Scheme 01 January 2017- 31 May 2017
| Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions | Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings | |
|---|---|---|
| Blind Person’s Pension | 16.2 | 30.1 |
| Carers Allowance | 20.5 | 22.8 |
| Carers Benefit | 16.3 | 21.3 |
| Child Benefit | 20.5 | 26.6 |
| Disability Allowance | 16.3 | 21.2 |
| Illness Benefit | 27.5 | 31.0 |
| Partial Capacity Benefit | 38.8 | 29.6 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 24.1 | 30.4 |
| Deserted Wifes Benefit | - | 13.7 |
| Farm Assist | 22.9 | 23.3 |
| Bereavement Grant | 15.1 | - |
| Death Benefit (Pension) | 102.1 | - |
| Family Income Supplement | 16.2 | 29.2 |
| Invalidity Pension | 15.8 | 20.3 |
| Liable Relatives | 18.0 | 24.1 |
| Maternity Benefit | 16.8 | 19.4 |
| One Parent Family Payment | 24.4 | 31.0 |
| State Pension (Contributory) | 24.9 | 37.3 |
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 21.6 | 34.3 |
| State Pension (Transition) | - | 81.4 |
| Occupational Injury Benefit | 14.5 | 28.4 |
| Disablement Pension | 19.7 | 27.3 |
| Incapacity Supplement | 54.2 | 51.5 |
| Guardian's Payment (Con) | 26.0 | 21.5 |
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) | 12.9 | - |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) | 16.3 | 24.6 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 15.7 | 24.3 |
| BTW Family Dividend | 17.7 | 41.1 |
| Jobseeker's Transitional | 13.7 | 29.4 |
| Recoverable Benefits & Assistance | 30.1 | - |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 15.6 | 17.9 |
| Carer’s Support Grant * | 17.0 | 23.0 |
| Treatment Benefit | 14.0 | - |
| Insurability of Employment | 34.8 | 95.2 |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance | 17.1 | 23.8 |
| Survivor's Pension (Con) | 21.8 | 35.6 |
| Survivor's Pension (Non-con) | 18.2 | 20.6 |
| Widowed Parent Grant | 14.1 | - |
| All Appeals | 18.2 | 24.8 |
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