Written answers
Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Appeals
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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361. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an appeal for invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) will be processed and a decision made on it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52034/23]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 24 August 2023. 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 Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 5 October 2023.
The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 17 October 2023, who will in due course make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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362. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications for invalidity pension that are on appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office; the number that have been under consideration for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten and 11 months or a year or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52035/23]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The table below sets out the outstanding number of Invalidity Pension appeals as of 22 November 2023 and the length of time they have been under consideration since being registered.
The Outstanding Invalidity Pension Appeals Under Consideration as of 22 November 2023
| Time ( Months) | No of Appeals |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 94 |
| 1 | 82 |
| 2 | 120 |
| 3 | 56 |
| 4 | 43 |
| 5 | 15 |
| 6 | 12 |
| 7 | 6 |
| 8 | 2 |
| 9 | 3 |
| 10 | 0 |
| 11 | 3 |
| 12 | 3 |
| More that 12 | 3 |
Outstanding Invalidity Appeals = 442
The current average time to process ALL appeals = 15.9 weeks
The current average time to process INVP appeals = 14.2 weeks
Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, average appeal processing times have generally improved between 2018 and 2022 from 30.0 weeks for an oral hearing in 2018 to 26.0 weeks in 2022, and from 24.8 weeks for a summary decision in 2018 to 15.0 weeks in 2022. The average times for all appeals finalised in 2022 was 14.9 weeks. Further improvements in appeals processing times are a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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