Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1263.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the social welfare appeals office does not answer any of its phone lines, or answer queries by email; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31557/24]

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.

From 1st January 2024 to date the Social Welfare Appeals Office has issued:

• Approximately 3,000 emails to TDs on behalf of appellants.
• Approximately 30,500 emails to customers directly.
• Answered 25,700 phone calls from customers on the Social Welfare Appeals Office phonebank.