Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 January 2010
87 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the processing time for each individual social welfare office to deal with a claim for jobseeker’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1713/10]
View answer106 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average processing time in respect of a claim for jobseeker’s benefit to be dealt with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1708/10]
View answer112 Deputy Alan Shatter asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the processing time for each individual social welfare office to deal with a claim for jobseeker’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1709/10]
View answer119 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average processing time for a claim for jobseeker’s allowance to be dealt with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1704/10]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 106, 112 and 119 together.
I fully appreciate that becoming unemployed and having to claim a jobseeker's payment is stressful enough in itself and that it is vital that people get access to financial supports as quickly as possible.
As Deputies will be aware, the number of people on the live register grew by over 45% in the 12 months to December 2009.
The Department of Social and Family Affairs has sought to manage this increase as well as it possibly can and to keep delays to a minimum. Improved processes and procedures have helped to increase productivity among existing staff, over 400 extra people have been assigned to claim processing since May 2008 and centralised units have been set up to relieve some of the pressure on the busiest offices.
The average processing times for claims decided in December was two weeks for jobseeker's benefit and just over six weeks for the jobseeker's allowance. This is the average nationally and there are fluctuations between offices. In December, 4 out of every 5 claims for jobseeker's benefit were processed within 3 weeks and 2 out of every 3 claims for the means tested payment jobseeker's allowance were processed within 6 weeks.
Processing times can vary depending on the complexity of the claim and the availability of the necessary documentation from the applicant and or their employer. In the case of jobseeker's allowance claims, carrying out means assessments and determining whether a claimant satisfies the Habitual Residence Condition can also take time.
Processing times can also vary from office to office due to the extent of the increased claimload, the number of staff vacancies, the duration of such vacancies and the turnover of staff in the office.
From time to time the average processing time for an individual office can vary considerably. This can occur where, for example, an office concentrates on clearing the claims that have been awaiting a decision the longest.
I am making available a tabular statement showing the average processing time for claims decided in December for each local and branch office. Claims for branch offices are decided in their parent local office.
While I know that processing times are still too long in some areas, it should be noted that the additional resources and process improvement measures that have been put in place are having an impact. For example, the number of jobseeker's claims awaiting a decision on 9th January last was 30% lower than in July.
While every effort is made to ensure that applications are processed as quickly as possible, 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. It is open to anyone who is not satisfied with the decision on their claim to appeal that decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
I assure the House that the Department will continue to prioritise reducing the unacceptable delays in deciding welfare claims that are evident in a small number of offices.
|
JB |
JA |
|
|
Achill |
0.03 |
0.46 |
|
Apollo House |
0.81 |
2.00 |
|
Ardee |
4.26 |
9.15 |
|
Arklow |
0.78 |
3.57 |
|
Athlone |
2.88 |
3.58 |
|
Athy |
1.65 |
7.89 |
|
Balbriggan |
3.24 |
8.59 |
|
Ballina |
2.19 |
7.47 |
|
Ballinasloe |
1.34 |
5.12 |
|
Ballinrobe |
1.36 |
7.55 |
|
Ballybofey |
0.79 |
3.65 |
|
Ballyconnell |
4.70 |
5.72 |
|
Ballyfermot |
0.97 |
3.92 |
|
Ballymun |
2.08 |
3.17 |
|
Ballyshannon |
0.91 |
3.31 |
|
Baltinglass |
1.12 |
7.87 |
|
Bandon |
4.01 |
6.26 |
|
Bantry |
1.73 |
6.93 |
|
Bantry Co |
0.89 |
1.81 |
|
Belmullet |
0.81 |
2.26 |
|
Birr |
1.42 |
4.30 |
|
Bishop Square |
2.04 |
9.26 |
|
Blanchardstown |
1.31 |
9.19 |
|
Boyle |
1.80 |
9.25 |
|
Bray |
1.33 |
3.79 |
|
Buncrana |
4.21 |
5.52 |
|
Cahir |
1.05 |
2.47 |
|
Cahirciveen |
2.48 |
3.77 |
|
Carlow |
0.38 |
2.69 |
|
Carrickmacross |
1.83 |
5.59 |
|
Carrick-On-Shannon |
1.80 |
2.96 |
|
Carrick-On-Suir |
2.80 |
9.22 |
|
Carrigaline |
1.77 |
4.59 |
|
Cashel |
0.94 |
3.63 |
|
Castlebar |
1.91 |
4.86 |
|
Castleblayney |
1.27 |
3.49 |
|
Castlepollard |
6.95 |
19.62 |
|
Castlerea |
2.03 |
11.62 |
|
Cavan |
2.41 |
8.19 |
|
Claremorris |
1.85 |
11.68 |
|
Clifden |
2.00 |
3.75 |
|
Clonakilty |
4.13 |
5.24 |
|
Clondalkin |
2.76 |
5.86 |
|
Clones |
0.96 |
4.77 |
|
Clonmel |
0.65 |
2.54 |
|
Cobh |
0.78 |
1.36 |
|
Coolock |
2.51 |
4.73 |
|
Cork |
1.67 |
5.49 |
|
Dingle |
1.56 |
3.57 |
|
Donegal |
1.34 |
3.94 |
|
Drogheda |
2.81 |
10.25 |
|
Dundalk |
0.90 |
2.17 |
|
Dunfanaghy |
0.86 |
1.85 |
|
Dungarvan |
2.73 |
9.46 |
|
Dungloe |
1.75 |
1.77 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
1.74 |
7.03 |
|
Edenderry |
2.19 |
13.24 |
|
Ennis |
1.46 |
4.75 |
|
Enniscorthy |
2.47 |
7.85 |
|
Ennistymon |
3.11 |
2.93 |
|
Fermoy |
2.44 |
6.24 |
|
Finglas |
1.23 |
3.48 |
|
Galway |
3.65 |
10.64 |
|
Gorey |
3.04 |
5.22 |
|
Gort |
2.20 |
8.49 |
|
Kells |
2.36 |
8.63 |
|
Kenmare |
1.78 |
3.09 |
|
Kilbarrack |
1.86 |
4.57 |
|
Kilkenny |
0.64 |
4.28 |
|
Killarney |
0.87 |
8.44 |
|
Killorglin |
1.59 |
4.76 |
|
Killybegs |
0.83 |
2.71 |
|
Kilmallock |
1.48 |
2.88 |
|
Kilrush |
2.95 |
3.98 |
|
King’s Inns St |
1.25 |
2.78 |
|
Kinsale |
3.96 |
9.03 |
|
Letterkenny |
0.68 |
2.99 |
|
Limerick |
3.07 |
8.91 |
|
Listowel |
0.92 |
4.29 |
|
Longford |
2.68 |
11.67 |
|
Loughrea |
1.70 |
6.50 |
|
Macroom |
3.64 |
5.61 |
|
Mallow |
1.82 |
3.47 |
|
Manorhamilton |
1.89 |
0.41 |
|
Maynooth |
3.04 |
6.87 |
|
Midleton |
2.79 |
5.46 |
|
Monaghan |
1.23 |
4.18 |
|
Muine Bheag |
0.83 |
5.05 |
|
Mullingar |
2.46 |
15.52 |
|
Navan |
2.27 |
15.29 |
|
Navan Road |
2.55 |
7.68 |
|
Nenagh |
1.13 |
3.54 |
|
Newbridge |
1.71 |
6.63 |
|
Newcastle West |
1.31 |
3.13 |
|
Newmarket |
5.00 |
3.65 |
|
New Ross |
3.28 |
5.97 |
|
Nutgrove |
0.71 |
1.84 |
|
Portarlington |
0.87 |
8.11 |
|
Portlaoise |
2.07 |
6.39 |
|
Rathdowney |
3.00 |
9.23 |
|
Roscommon |
1.65 |
5.02 |
|
Roscrea |
0.98 |
2.81 |
|
Skibbereen |
2.24 |
6.35 |
|
Sligo |
1.52 |
7.67 |
|
Swinford |
2.02 |
11.52 |
|
Swords Lo |
2.52 |
3.24 |
|
Tallaght |
1.44 |
5.70 |
|
Thomas Street |
1.21 |
3.03 |
|
Thomastown |
3.07 |
9.22 |
|
Thurles |
1.06 |
4.48 |
|
Tipperary |
1.59 |
3.20 |
|
Tralee |
2.08 |
3.87 |
|
Trim |
3.58 |
10.71 |
|
Tuam |
1.19 |
10.51 |
|
Tubbercurry |
0.71 |
0.90 |
|
Tulla |
2.57 |
2.61 |
|
Tullamore |
1.27 |
8.06 |
|
Tullow |
1.09 |
6.66 |
|
Waterford |
4.04 |
5.27 |
|
Westport |
1.40 |
1.29 |
|
Wexford |
1.01 |
4.67 |
|
Wicklow |
1.65 |
3.96 |
|
Youghal |
1.09 |
7.12 |
