Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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498. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an appeal of a pension decision (details supplied) can be examined to see if the matter could be resolved. [6141/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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 person concerned applied for State Pension ( Non - Contributory) on 17 February 2022, and the claim was awarded by the Department with effect from 18 February 2022.

A claim for back-dating (for “good cause” period of up to six months) was disallowed in a decision of 21 September 2022 on the grounds that good cause for late claim was not shown and for the period (of greater than six months), as it had not been shown that incorrect information had been given by the Department or that the person was prevented by reason of incapacity from making a claim.

This decision was appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, and the decision to disallow was upheld on 19 January 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.