Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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81. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of pension appeals currently being considered by his Department under the terms of Circular 16/2020; the number of those appeals that have been with his Department in excess of the three-month indicative timeline for dealing with appeals; the number of those appeals that have been with his Department in excess of 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39554/24]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Circular 16/2020 sets out the procedure to be followed in pension disputes referred to my department for consideration and determination. This includes the steps to be completed by each party to the appeal process, the documentation required to be submitted, and indicative timelines for each stage of the appeal process. It does not in itself afford a right of appeal to my Department where this is not provided in the relevant legislation or pension scheme rules.

Pensions appeals are, by their nature, complex and can require a review of large volumes of documentation on scheme rules and legislation, as well as the provision of legal or other expert advice, as required. Further engagement may also be needed with the employing department/body, the pension administrator, and with individuals themselves, to ensure that all the relevant facts have been obtained, before a determination can be made.

As of 30 Sept 2024, 25 pension appeal cases are under consideration by my department, with a further 7 appeals having received a determination in 2024 to date. These determinations had an average time to process of approximately 9 months (range 5 to 13 months). The length of time taken on individual appeals is heavily dependent on the complexity of the appeal and the requirement to obtain supplementary information or legal advice. Of the 25 appeals on hand, 7 have been under consideration for a period greater than 12 months.

A contributing factor to the current backlog has been a steep increase in the volume of appeals submitted to my Department. The number of pension appeals received in 2023 represented a 100% increase in the number of appeals received in 2022 and earlier years, with a further upward trend recorded in the volume of appeal cases received in to date 2024. A programme of work was commenced in May 2024 to streamline and accelerate the processing of pension appeals to address the backlog and maintain progress towards meeting the indicative timelines in Circular 16/2020.