Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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534. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the delay in a decision on an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25309/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 March 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 7 April 2020.

On consideration, the Appeals Officer has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Due to Covid-19 restrictions in-person oral appeal hearings were suspended since 13 March 2020 and have only resumed in recent weeks. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made.

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 trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.