Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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506. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to recruit additional staff to deal with appeals for guardians payments in view of the fact that the current average processing time is approximately 18 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40389/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department, like all Government Departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff.

The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new increasing demands in a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.

Appeal processing times are kept under constant scrutiny by the Chief Appeals Officer. The Deputy will be aware that significant effort and resources have been devoted in recent years to reducing the length of time taken to finalise an appeal and that as a consequence processing times have improved quite considerably.

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.

The Chief Appeals Officer has advised me that appeal processing times will continue to be a priority for her office.