Written answers
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Appeals
Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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763. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 246 of 7 December 2023, the number of appeals that were decided on by the original decision-making official in the year preceding the July 2023 changes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12706/24]
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 system is underpinned by legislation which sets down the roles, powers and functions of the Social Welfare Appeals Office and its Appeals Officers. Under the legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer may be reviewed under section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts.
I am informed by the Appeals Office that there were 822 reviews carried out under Section 317 of the 2005 Act in the year preceding July 2023. The majority of these reviews were carried out by a different appeals officer, however in some cases it was appropriate for the same appeals officer to undertake the review, depending on the circumstances of the appeal concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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