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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Dec 1979

Vol. 317 No. 6

Written Answers. - Processing of Applications for Benefits.

342.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the average length of time taken by his Department to process an application for (a) free travel, (b) free electricity allowance, (c) free television licence, (d) free telephone rental allowance, (e) free bottled gas, (f) fuel subsidy scheme and (g) footwear scheme.

In the normal course the average length of time taken to process applications is approximately as follows:—(a) free travel—about two-and-a-half weeks, (b) free electricity allowance —about six weeks, (c) free television licence,—about two or three days, (d) free telephone rental allowance— about six weeks, (e) free bottled gas— about two weeks, (f) fuel-subsidy scheme—vouchers are normally issued on demand to qualified applicants and (g) footwear scheme—about two weeks.

In a small minority of cases where the information requested on application forms is not given or is given incorrectly the time taken to dispose of cases could be a good deal longer than the average.

Applications for free telephone licences are dealt with by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, for fuel vouchers by the local authorities and for cheap footwear by the health boards.

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