Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2009
18 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average time it took for a jobseeker’s benefit claim to be processed during the period from the start of October 2008 to the end of January 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9193/09]
View answer22 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average time it took for a jobseeker’s allowance claim to be processed during the period from the start of October 2008 to the end of January 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9189/09]
View answer28 Deputy Michael Noonan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average time it took each social welfare office to process a claim for jobseeker’s benefit during the period from the start of October 2008 to the end of January 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9196/09]
View answer38 Deputy Jim O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average time it took each social welfare office to process a claim for jobseeker’s allowance during the period from the start of October 2008 to the end of January 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9203/09]
View answer72 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the waiting time for persons receiving the jobseeker’s benefit payment in the social welfare offices in Counties Dublin, Louth, Monaghan, Kerry and Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9244/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 22, 28, 38 and 72 together.
With the increase in the number of people applying for jobseeker's payments staff in local offices have been working extremely hard to process claims as quickly as possible.
Productivity has increased significantly. Nearly 155,000 claims were processed in Local Offices in the last quarter of 2008 (including the One Family Payment). This compares with less than 89,000 in the last quarter of 2007, representing an increase of 74%.
I know that processing times in some areas are still too long and I assure Deputies that we are doing our best to reduce them. I appreciate that becoming unemployed is a very difficult time in a persons life and that they need to get access to financial and other supports as quickly as possible.
The overall performance in any individual office in processing claims can be adversely affected by a wide variety of factors; including increased inflow of claims, staff vacancies and the duration of such vacancies and the turnover of staff in the office.
The average time for applications processed in January was 2 weeks for jobseeker's benefit claims and 5 weeks for jobseeker's allowance claims.
The Deputies will be aware that anyone who is under financial pressure while awaiting a decision on their claim for a jobseeker's payment can apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance which is subject to a means test and other qualifying conditions.
A table showing the time taken, in weeks, to process jobseeker's Allowance and jobseeker's Benefit claims in each of the months October, November, December and January is as follows.
|
Office |
Oct 2008 |
Oct 2008 |
Nov 2008 |
Nov 2008 |
Dec 2008 |
Dec 2008 |
Jan 2009 |
Jan 2009 |
|
JB |
JA |
JB |
JA |
JB |
JA |
JB |
JA |
|
|
Achill |
0.28 |
0.49 |
0.54 |
1.04 |
0.00 |
0.11 |
0.14 |
0.65 |
|
Apollo House |
6.18 |
5.93 |
4.58 |
5.23 |
2.63 |
4.47 |
2.64 |
4.71 |
|
Ardee |
2.90 |
6.92 |
2.10 |
6.41 |
1.91 |
5.16 |
1.81 |
9.07 |
|
Arklow |
3.28 |
6.19 |
2.86 |
5.69 |
3.62 |
6.82 |
2.61 |
6.00 |
|
Athlone |
2.33 |
5.85 |
2.67 |
5.91 |
2.04 |
5.95 |
3.15 |
6.36 |
|
Athy |
4.99 |
5.86 |
4.55 |
6.06 |
4.14 |
5.14 |
3.23 |
6.90 |
|
Balbriggan |
1.60 |
5.30 |
2.00 |
5.27 |
2.13 |
6.23 |
2.02 |
6.25 |
|
Ballina |
2.80 |
6.34 |
1.97 |
5.39 |
1.83 |
5.11 |
1.35 |
5.51 |
|
Ballinasloe |
1.35 |
3.25 |
1.13 |
5.42 |
1.39 |
3.86 |
2.46 |
5.40 |
|
Ballinrobe |
1.80 |
6.84 |
1.79 |
5.29 |
1.79 |
9.31 |
2.05 |
11.14 |
|
Ballybofey |
0.92 |
2.73 |
1.09 |
2.02 |
0.86 |
2.78 |
1.09 |
2.01 |
|
Ballyconnell |
4.89 |
10.96 |
3.57 |
8.49 |
1.59 |
10.92 |
4.49 |
12.16 |
|
Ballyfermot |
1.78 |
4.67 |
2.10 |
6.93 |
1.81 |
4.98 |
3.10 |
6.69 |
|
Ballymun |
2.83 |
2.22 |
1.18 |
2.37 |
1.42 |
3.44 |
1.43 |
2.52 |
|
Ballyshannon |
1.01 |
1.92 |
0.77 |
2.19 |
0.91 |
2.08 |
0.98 |
1.70 |
|
Baltinglass |
5.55 |
6.85 |
3.69 |
6.26 |
3.01 |
6.12 |
4.43 |
6.39 |
|
Bandon |
4.42 |
7.38 |
3.84 |
12.95 |
3.90 |
10.14 |
5.98 |
13.55 |
|
Bantry |
3.40 |
6.30 |
1.85 |
4.54 |
0.88 |
3.99 |
0.96 |
6.13 |
|
Bantry Co |
1.68 |
4.57 |
1.76 |
3.63 |
0.88 |
4.79 |
1.21 |
7.37 |
|
Belmullet |
2.41 |
2.58 |
1.47 |
1.86 |
2.08 |
2.44 |
2.19 |
3.59 |
|
Birr |
1.23 |
4.96 |
1.57 |
4.35 |
1.27 |
6.43 |
2.44 |
5.95 |
|
Bishop Square |
4.06 |
6.47 |
3.73 |
6.76 |
3.45 |
6.29 |
3.98 |
8.12 |
|
Blanchardstown |
2.23 |
7.43 |
2.99 |
7.53 |
2.67 |
7.73 |
2.57 |
8.67 |
|
Boyle |
3.43 |
5.80 |
3.66 |
9.35 |
4.02 |
7.66 |
2.81 |
8.36 |
|
Bray |
3.97 |
6.34 |
3.43 |
6.73 |
1.93 |
3.99 |
4.03 |
6.27 |
|
Buncrana |
2.22 |
3.72 |
2.34 |
3.12 |
2.28 |
4.95 |
2.49 |
5.86 |
|
Cahir |
1.81 |
2.18 |
0.92 |
2.06 |
1.26 |
1.67 |
1.73 |
3.09 |
|
Cahirciveen |
2.28 |
4.31 |
2.31 |
4.94 |
2.37 |
5.26 |
1.88 |
4.83 |
|
Carlow |
2.31 |
7.29 |
2.45 |
5.91 |
2.67 |
7.89 |
3.52 |
8.78 |
|
Carrickmacross |
1.77 |
7.41 |
2.04 |
4.96 |
1.73 |
5.42 |
1.38 |
6.65 |
|
Carrick-On-Shannon |
0.81 |
3.22 |
1.19 |
3.92 |
0.69 |
3.30 |
1.03 |
2.98 |
|
Carrick-On-Suir |
2.83 |
4.49 |
2.03 |
6.13 |
1.97 |
5.95 |
2.09 |
4.27 |
|
Carrigaline |
1.50 |
7.14 |
1.33 |
10.77 |
1.27 |
4.89 |
1.35 |
6.58 |
|
Cashel |
1.39 |
2.96 |
1.68 |
3.72 |
1.40 |
2.94 |
2.19 |
3.38 |
|
Castlebar |
1.85 |
1.94 |
1.77 |
3.39 |
1.08 |
2.15 |
1.46 |
2.25 |
|
Castleblayney |
1.71 |
5.03 |
2.01 |
4.83 |
2.15 |
4.61 |
1.86 |
3.90 |
|
Castlepollard |
2.47 |
12.26 |
3.16 |
6.30 |
2.33 |
7.18 |
2.96 |
10.69 |
|
Castlerea |
4.80 |
9.19 |
2.01 |
6.47 |
1.66 |
6.54 |
1.65 |
8.89 |
|
Cavan |
3.85 |
7.66 |
2.66 |
7.30 |
2.40 |
6.78 |
3.17 |
7.80 |
|
Claremorris |
4.46 |
7.52 |
2.43 |
7.32 |
2.27 |
8.08 |
2.01 |
8.54 |
|
Clifden |
0.62 |
3.25 |
1.04 |
2.43 |
0.81 |
1.80 |
1.25 |
2.66 |
|
Clonakilty |
5.32 |
10.70 |
4.22 |
11.86 |
3.11 |
11.55 |
5.01 |
9.08 |
|
Clondalkin |
3.32 |
4.75 |
2.51 |
4.78 |
2.06 |
4.00 |
2.82 |
5.02 |
|
Clones |
1.47 |
3.56 |
2.01 |
3.94 |
1.77 |
3.85 |
1.34 |
3.71 |
|
Clonmel |
1.42 |
3.17 |
1.60 |
2.87 |
1.16 |
2.75 |
1.80 |
3.42 |
|
Cobh |
1.06 |
0.96 |
0.89 |
1.04 |
0.84 |
1.42 |
0.74 |
1.70 |
|
Coolock LO |
1.96 |
3.21 |
1.56 |
3.71 |
1.62 |
2.80 |
1.58 |
3.48 |
|
Cork |
4.42 |
7.76 |
3.80 |
8.29 |
3.40 |
8.36 |
3.36 |
7.26 |
|
Dingle |
1.16 |
2.29 |
1.48 |
1.96 |
1.72 |
2.58 |
2.74 |
5.50 |
|
Donegal |
1.18 |
1.38 |
1.21 |
1.87 |
1.13 |
1.50 |
1.04 |
2.09 |
|
Drogheda |
2.06 |
7.59 |
2.06 |
9.88 |
2.03 |
9.56 |
2.07 |
10.59 |
|
Dundalk |
2.04 |
4.38 |
1.86 |
5.00 |
1.41 |
4.33 |
0.89 |
4.99 |
|
Dunfanaghy |
1.06 |
1.40 |
0.98 |
1.50 |
0.67 |
1.59 |
0.98 |
1.62 |
|
Dungarvan |
2.44 |
5.71 |
2.62 |
4.26 |
2.30 |
3.55 |
1.75 |
6.39 |
|
Dungloe |
1.96 |
2.47 |
1.44 |
2.28 |
0.78 |
1.28 |
1.31 |
1.42 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
2.36 |
6.72 |
1.76 |
7.00 |
1.90 |
5.54 |
1.99 |
5.49 |
|
Edenderry |
2.65 |
9.66 |
2.70 |
13.94 |
1.76 |
9.26 |
2.88 |
13.60 |
|
Ennis |
1.92 |
3.54 |
1.32 |
2.82 |
1.60 |
3.63 |
1.69 |
5.11 |
|
Enniscorthy |
2.38 |
4.14 |
1.90 |
4.72 |
1.56 |
6.24 |
2.27 |
6.49 |
|
Ennistymon |
3.03 |
3.56 |
2.48 |
3.87 |
1.74 |
4.23 |
3.20 |
6.28 |
|
Fermoy |
2.94 |
3.37 |
2.90 |
4.72 |
2.06 |
3.25 |
4.02 |
5.08 |
|
Finglas |
2.40 |
4.12 |
2.08 |
3.93 |
1.20 |
3.02 |
2.04 |
4.30 |
|
Galway |
5.50 |
13.72 |
3.66 |
9.53 |
2.59 |
7.58 |
2.84 |
8.71 |
|
Gorey |
2.04 |
4.54 |
1.91 |
5.02 |
2.41 |
5.32 |
2.18 |
6.46 |
|
Gort |
3.55 |
6.99 |
2.35 |
5.82 |
2.07 |
4.54 |
3.15 |
10.05 |
|
Kells |
5.39 |
13.81 |
2.66 |
10.55 |
1.65 |
11.00 |
1.90 |
9.77 |
|
Kenmare |
1.55 |
1.84 |
1.99 |
2.27 |
1.78 |
2.27 |
2.19 |
2.81 |
|
Kilbarrack |
1.81 |
3.37 |
1.90 |
3.37 |
1.98 |
3.51 |
2.69 |
4.01 |
|
Kilkenny |
1.39 |
3.91 |
1.12 |
4.65 |
1.18 |
5.26 |
2.39 |
4.10 |
|
Killarney |
1.41 |
2.75 |
1.61 |
3.56 |
1.83 |
3.42 |
2.52 |
4.09 |
|
Killorglin |
1.56 |
7.27 |
1.50 |
6.28 |
1.42 |
4.85 |
2.56 |
7.75 |
|
Killybegs |
0.85 |
1.52 |
0.75 |
1.61 |
0.93 |
1.74 |
0.82 |
1.59 |
|
Kilmallock |
1.92 |
3.79 |
1.64 |
3.93 |
1.54 |
2.85 |
2.66 |
3.66 |
|
Kilrush |
0.83 |
2.41 |
1.11 |
2.48 |
1.22 |
2.72 |
1.50 |
3.02 |
|
Kinsale |
1.70 |
8.51 |
4.47 |
8.94 |
3.50 |
7.36 |
5.55 |
8.10 |
|
Letterkenny |
3.67 |
5.53 |
2.36 |
4.76 |
1.87 |
4.17 |
1.43 |
4.10 |
|
Limerick |
2.32 |
5.26 |
2.16 |
5.22 |
2.48 |
6.08 |
3.70 |
8.35 |
|
Listowel |
5.07 |
6.12 |
5.06 |
5.35 |
3.01 |
5.75 |
4.48 |
6.06 |
|
Longford |
3.90 |
6.46 |
3.33 |
5.87 |
2.98 |
5.84 |
3.96 |
9.47 |
|
Loughrea |
2.82 |
8.88 |
2.18 |
7.34 |
2.21 |
8.12 |
1.77 |
8.79 |
|
Macroom |
3.26 |
4.37 |
3.59 |
5.06 |
2.92 |
4.22 |
5.19 |
7.23 |
|
Mallow Branch Office |
5.34 |
4.37 |
2.89 |
5.03 |
1.79 |
4.78 |
5.22 |
6.98 |
|
Manorhamilton |
1.35 |
1.56 |
1.29 |
1.67 |
0.88 |
0.55 |
1.16 |
1.77 |
|
Maynooth |
2.85 |
8.72 |
3.00 |
9.50 |
2.77 |
9.75 |
4.73 |
9.99 |
|
Midleton |
3.70 |
8.65 |
2.73 |
8.52 |
3.37 |
9.33 |
4.42 |
7.60 |
|
Monaghan |
2.61 |
3.87 |
2.05 |
3.80 |
2.04 |
4.89 |
1.93 |
4.20 |
|
Muine Bheag |
4.23 |
6.96 |
5.20 |
9.24 |
3.88 |
10.13 |
4.06 |
8.03 |
|
Mullingar |
3.17 |
4.30 |
2.10 |
6.58 |
2.60 |
5.85 |
2.33 |
6.15 |
|
Navan |
5.90 |
11.29 |
3.54 |
9.85 |
2.31 |
11.59 |
3.93 |
10.64 |
|
Navan Road |
2.31 |
4.62 |
2.18 |
5.34 |
1.79 |
5.72 |
2.24 |
5.19 |
|
Nenagh |
1.55 |
2.26 |
1.63 |
1.85 |
1.03 |
2.64 |
1.29 |
2.32 |
|
Newbridge |
4.95 |
7.03 |
4.13 |
5.93 |
3.58 |
5.52 |
2.83 |
6.56 |
|
Newcastle West |
1.92 |
4.37 |
1.66 |
3.79 |
1.50 |
2.91 |
2.40 |
3.56 |
|
Newmarket |
1.03 |
3.76 |
2.80 |
6.71 |
5.64 |
5.44 |
4.49 |
7.23 |
|
New Ross |
1.73 |
4.32 |
2.43 |
5.33 |
1.70 |
5.04 |
2.43 |
5.61 |
|
Nth Cumberland Street |
1.77 |
2.48 |
1.48 |
2.17 |
1.56 |
3.13 |
1.94 |
2.96 |
|
Nutgrove |
1.03 |
2.42 |
1.02 |
2.20 |
0.95 |
1.72 |
0.89 |
1.77 |
|
Portarlington |
1.45 |
8.01 |
1.64 |
7.53 |
1.33 |
6.31 |
1.45 |
6.67 |
|
Portlaoise |
4.18 |
9.13 |
2.92 |
7.55 |
2.54 |
6.56 |
3.01 |
9.69 |
|
Rathdowney |
4.26 |
8.13 |
2.20 |
7.11 |
2.52 |
7.00 |
2.44 |
13.56 |
|
Roscommon |
3.99 |
10.24 |
3.11 |
6.58 |
4.29 |
5.20 |
4.67 |
8.46 |
|
Roscrea |
0.94 |
2.22 |
1.52 |
2.42 |
0.91 |
2.03 |
0.93 |
2.03 |
|
Skibbereen |
4.17 |
5.38 |
1.92 |
3.44 |
1.13 |
4.38 |
1.42 |
3.97 |
|
Sligo |
1.15 |
3.07 |
1.35 |
3.75 |
1.97 |
5.12 |
2.39 |
4.41 |
|
Swinford |
4.63 |
7.33 |
1.69 |
5.76 |
1.52 |
6.58 |
1.41 |
8.68 |
|
Swords LO |
2.22 |
2.28 |
1.94 |
2.10 |
1.79 |
2.00 |
2.52 |
3.49 |
|
Tallaght |
1.78 |
3.00 |
1.47 |
3.05 |
1.84 |
1.82 |
2.34 |
4.56 |
|
Thomas Street |
2.85 |
5.41 |
2.69 |
4.16 |
1.27 |
1.83 |
1.07 |
2.59 |
|
Thomastown |
3.03 |
10.06 |
2.26 |
6.40 |
1.99 |
6.36 |
2.59 |
7.74 |
|
Thurles |
1.18 |
1.65 |
1.36 |
2.67 |
0.74 |
1.67 |
1.23 |
1.78 |
|
Tipperary |
1.88 |
2.40 |
1.34 |
2.31 |
1.34 |
2.48 |
2.17 |
3.17 |
|
Tralee |
1.70 |
2.74 |
1.92 |
3.17 |
1.16 |
2.67 |
1.70 |
3.37 |
|
Trim |
6.42 |
12.22 |
2.85 |
11.59 |
2.19 |
11.49 |
2.27 |
9.23 |
|
Tuam |
2.29 |
8.78 |
3.02 |
8.24 |
3.39 |
12.42 |
4.42 |
9.85 |
|
Tubbercurry |
1.58 |
3.75 |
1.68 |
4.42 |
1.00 |
6.24 |
1.59 |
2.67 |
|
Tulla |
1.10 |
3.11 |
1.08 |
2.88 |
1.44 |
2.81 |
1.57 |
3.44 |
|
Tullamore Control Office |
1.97 |
9.63 |
1.77 |
7.86 |
1.65 |
7.91 |
2.60 |
8.39 |
|
Tullow |
4.33 |
10.92 |
4.17 |
9.68 |
4.53 |
10.25 |
4.22 |
8.67 |
|
Waterford |
2.96 |
5.37 |
2.16 |
4.46 |
1.83 |
3.76 |
1.15 |
4.80 |
|
Westport |
1.52 |
1.47 |
1.87 |
1.62 |
1.79 |
2.11 |
1.57 |
2.37 |
|
Wexford |
1.86 |
3.50 |
1.79 |
4.34 |
1.42 |
3.89 |
2.18 |
4.96 |
|
Wicklow |
1.94 |
4.40 |
1.77 |
5.24 |
1.82 |
6.97 |
2.00 |
7.40 |
|
Youghal |
2.24 |
6.03 |
2.27 |
6.25 |
1.75 |
6.18 |
2.79 |
6.05 |
