Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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467. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the degree to which social welfare appeals by applicants can be expedited in order to ensure that hardship does not occur; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59541/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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.

The time taken to process an appeal reflects a number of factors including that the appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with Appeals Officers being required to decide all appeals on a ‘de-novo’ basis. In addition, appeals decisions are themselves subject to review by the High Court and decisions have to be formally written up to quasi-judicial standards.

The desire to process appeals quickly has to be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and of high quality and made in accordance with the legislative provisions and the general principles of fair procedures and natural justice.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office seeks to deal with appeals in chronological order but on occasion an appeal will be prioritised if the circumstances require this.

Anyone experiencing financial difficulties while awaiting a decision on an appeal should contact their local Intreo Centre and enquire as to their entitlement to a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. If such a claim for supplementary welfare allowance is disallowed that itself is an appealable decision.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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468. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the return of funeral and bereavement grant might be envisaged other than by way of the exceptional needs' payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59542/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.3 million. It is estimated that the cost of reintroducing the grant would be close to €30 million per annum and increasing annually. Any decision to reinstate the grant would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

It is worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the former grant.

These include weekly-paid Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory and Non-Contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner grant of €8,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State Pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death, extending to 12 weeks in respect of Carer’s Allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.

Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses in addition to the range of supports already set out.

Taking the above into consideration, there are no plans to reinstate the bereavement grant at this time.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.