Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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132. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current average processing time for a decision by the Social Welfare Appeals Office; the number of appeals currently being considered by the office; the efforts being made to reduce the processing time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21627/25]

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.

As of the 31st of March 2025, the current processing times for appeals is 20.9 weeks. The Appeals Office current has 18,934 open appeals.

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. They have now been appointed as Appeals Officers and are making appeal decisions. In addition new Appeals Regulations have been signed to come into effect from the 28th of April which provide, among other things, for simpler processes and specified response times. These should further help to reduce processing times.

The time taken to process appeals reflects the need to consider each decision in detail and, in many cases, to examine additional information submitted at appeal stage, including in some cases requesting further information either via correspondence or via oral hearing. The Chief Appeals Officer continues to monitor processing times and every effort is made to reduce the time taken to process an appeal. However, the drive for efficiency must be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and made in accordance with the provisions set out in primary legislation and regulations.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.