I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 390 together.
I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that 34,027 appeals were processed during 2011 of which 6,035 were revised in favour of the appellant by the Deciding Officer without the necessity for ultimate referral to an Appeals Officer for determination. A further 2,602 appeals were withdrawn. Of the 25,390 appeals determined by Appeals Officers, 8,331 (32.8%) were successful or partly successful.
The table shows the position regarding the number of appeals for disability allowance and other schemes on hands at the end of 2011 and the average length of time to process such appeals which were finalised in 2011. Overall, the average processing time for all appeals in 2011 was 25.1 weeks in cases dealt with by way of summary decisions and 52.5 weeks where an oral hearing was required.
These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation and include all activities during this period including time spent in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department's Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. A considerable period of time is added to the process when an oral hearing is required because of the logistics involved in this process.
I am assured by the Chief Appeals Officer that she is keeping the methods of operation by which the Social Welfare Appeals Office conducts its business under constant review, and that the processes are continuously being enhanced to reduce the backlogs in the Office and, overall, to reduce the processing times for dealing with appeals.
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On Hands 1 January 2012
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Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions
|
Average processingtimes (weeks) Oral Hearings
|
Adoptive Benefit
|
2
|
27.9
|
—
|
Blind Pension
|
14
|
20.4
|
69.8
|
Carers Allowance
|
1,147
|
31.3
|
57.9
|
Carers Benefit
|
61
|
21.8
|
59.4
|
Child Benefit
|
603
|
47.6
|
66.0
|
Disability Allowance
|
2,958
|
27.4
|
55.6
|
Illness Benefit
|
2,021
|
38.2
|
59.8
|
Domiciliary Care
|
1,385
|
25.4
|
55.8
|
Deserted Wives Allowance
|
4
|
—
|
—
|
Deserted Wives Benefit
|
12
|
19.2
|
46.0
|
Farm Assist
|
121
|
20.9
|
57.9
|
Bereavement Grant
|
35
|
22.1
|
—
|
Family Income Supplement
|
104
|
19.9
|
31.8
|
Invalidity Pension
|
1,582
|
36.4
|
58.9
|
Liable Relatives
|
31
|
31.6
|
84.1
|
One Parent Family Payment
|
618
|
24.3
|
57.5
|
Maternity Benefit
|
20
|
25.1
|
62.1
|
State Pension (Contributory)
|
91
|
24.9
|
55.3
|
State Pension (Non-Cont)
|
165
|
20.6
|
54.6
|
State Pension (Transition)
|
22
|
24.4
|
66.0
|
Occupational Injury Benefit
|
9
|
30.7
|
54.8
|
Occupational Injury Ben (Med)
|
27
|
77.8
|
65.0
|
Disablement Pension
|
278
|
48.0
|
59.7
|
Incapacity Supplement
|
14
|
—
|
48.3
|
Guardian’s Payment (Con)
|
32
|
36.2
|
62.7
|
Guardian’s Payment (Non-Con)
|
10
|
23.9
|
59.0
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
Jobseeker’s Allow (Means)
|
1,866
|
18.0
|
54.8
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance
|
1,494
|
23.8
|
47.9
|
Jobseeker’s Benefit
|
583
|
15.1
|
34.0
|
JA/JB Fraud Control
|
4
|
13.7
|
24.9
|
Respite Care Grant
|
166
|
23.4
|
60.8
|
Insurability of Employment
|
136
|
34.0
|
72.1
|
Supplementary Welfare All
|
1,833
|
6.3
|
17.6
|
Treatment Benefits
|
1
|
28.8
|
—
|
Survivor’s Pension (Con)
|
14
|
27.5
|
55.3
|
Survivor’s Pension (NonCon)
|
18
|
18.1
|
53.1
|
Widows Parent Grant
|
5
|
22.0
|
—
|
All Appeals
|
17,488
|
25.1
|
52.5
|