48. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals received and decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2025 and to date in 2026; the proportion of original departmental decisions revised or overturned on appeal, broken down by scheme; the average time to decision for appeals determined summarily and by oral hearing respectively; and the number of appellants currently awaiting an oral hearing. [67465/26]

There were a total of 37,666 appeals received and 49,683 appeals decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2025.  Over the year to the end of August 2026, there were a total of 24,635 appeals received and 27,678 appeals decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

The Deputy should note that an appeal can be decided in one of two ways.  When the appeal is first received by the Appeals Office, it is sent to the relevant scheme area in the department for a review.  If the scheme area decides to issue a revised decision with a positive outcome for the customer then the appeal is successful and the appeal is resolved.  If the original decision is upheld by the scheme area, then the appeal is sent back to the Appeals Office for a decision by an Appeals Officer.  The Appeals Officer can then issue a decision either as a summary decision or following an oral hearing to allow, partially allow, or disallow the appeal.

The average time to reach a final outcome for appeals decided by an Appeals Officer was 29 weeks for appeals decided by summary decision and 35 weeks for appeals decided after an oral hearing.  Note that only a small number of appeals are decided by oral hearing.  Of the 32,058 appeals which were decided by an Appeals Officer in 2025, 79 were decided by oral hearing.

As of the end of August 2026, 6 appeals were awaiting an oral hearing.

The total number of appeals decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2025 was 49,683.  The outcome of appeals by scheme is summarized in the table below: