Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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406. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3192/23]

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 Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a Disability Allowance appeal by the person concerned was registered by that Office on 12 January 2023. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has confirmed that the documents provided by the Deputy along with his question had already been received by the Appeals Office and were provided to the Department as part of the process set out above.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.