(1) Whenever a person has appealed a decision of a deciding officer (other than a decision of a deciding officer who is a bureau officer) then, where the Chief Appeals Officer certifies that the ordinary appeals procedures set out in this Chapter are inadequate to secure the effective processing of that appeal, the Chief Appeals Officer shall cause a direction to be issued to the person who has submitted the appeal directing the person to submit the appeal not later than 21 days from receipt of the direction to the Circuit Court and the Circuit Court may, on hearing the appeal as it thinks proper, affirm the decision or substitute the decision of the deciding officer in accordance with this Act and on the same evidence as would otherwise be available to the Appeals Officer.

(1A) Whenever a person has, on or after the coming into operation of section 7 of the Social Welfare Act 2019, appealed a decision of a deciding officer who is a bureau officer, the Chief Appeals Officer shall cause a direction to be issued to the person who has submitted the appeal directing the person to submit the appeal not later than 21 days from receipt of the direction to the Circuit Court and the Circuit Court may, on hearing the appeal as it thinks proper, affirm the decision or substitute the decision of the deciding officer in accordance with this Act and on the same evidence as would otherwise be available to the Appeals Officer.