Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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780. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the delay in assessing applications for carer’s allowance; the result of the appeal of a person (details supplied) that has been without income for over 33 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19623/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that for 2020 to the end of June the average processing time for carer’s allowance appeals dealt with by way of summary decision was 13.1 weeks and it was 21.7 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. This is an improvement on the position for 2019 when carer's allowance appeals dealt with by way of summary decision had an average processing time of 23.2 weeks and it was 27.3 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. Further improvements in appeals processing times is a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.