Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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370. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on a social welfare appeal for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53744/23]

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 16 October 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 in due course make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral appeal hearing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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371. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on a social welfare appeal for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53745/23]

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 21 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 21 September 2023.

The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 5 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.