Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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429. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the date on which the Social Welfare Appeals Office began oral hearings by telephone and online; the number of oral hearings by phone and telephone held each month since they were introduced; the benefits and allowances being appealed; and the number of appeals heard by phone or telephone in which there was a favourable decision for the applicant. [5638/21]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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430. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of oral hearings held by the Social Welfare Appeals Office each month during 2020. [5639/21]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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431. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons currently waiting for an oral hearing for an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office; and the current waiting time. [5640/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 429, 430 and 431 together.

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 am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that it is currently not possible to facilitate in-person oral hearings due to Covid-19 restrictions.  However, the Social Welfare Appeals Office commenced conducting online appeal hearings on 11 November 2020.  In addition to that development, the Office has been conducting hearings via telephone, where suitable.  Appeals also continue to be determined on the basis of written submissions.  Since November 2020 a total of 167 appeal hearings have been conducted online or by phone.  It is not possible to state how many appeal cases may require an oral hearing at any one time.  However, for those appeals where it is identified that an oral hearing is required, a hearing can generally be arranged within approximately two weeks.  The position in relation to the conducting of oral hearings is being kept under review by the Chief Appeals Officer.

The further information required by the Deputy in relation to oral hearings is set out in the attached tables below.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Monthly Number of Oral Hearings held Online and by Phone

Online and Phone Hearings by Scheme – November 2020 to January 2021 to date

Favourable decisions arising from online or phone oral hearings from November 2020 to date (A favourable decision is one where the appeal is allowed or partly allowed by the Appeals Officer)

Oral Hearings Held in 2020