Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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131. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average processing times for social welfare appeals by scheme between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6485/25]

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 table below shows a breakdown of average processing times for the period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024 on a number of departmental schemes. In 2024 the average time taken to process an appeal was 23.5 weeks.

A new Appeals processing system was implemented at the end of 2024 which included the capability to submit appeals online. The Chief Appeals Officer has put in place measures to deal with the increase in appeals received during 2024. 20 additional staff were assigned and attended training during December 2024 and January 2025 and have now been appointed as Appeals Officers .