Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 June 2012
378 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the average time taken to process an application for contributory or non-contributory old age pension on a monthly basis over the past two years and to date in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28355/12]
View answerMy Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. As part of its programme of service delivery modernisation, all scheme areas are subject to continuous business process improvement, and a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented in recent years. The Department has already automated the State pension (contributory) scheme, and in 2011, as part of the Department's programme of service delivery modernisation, the State pension (non-contributory) moved onto the new IT platform. This has enabled the Department to deal with a very significant increase in claim load without increasing staffing resources. Claims are processed in the most efficient and expeditious way possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables.
|
State pensioncontributory |
2010Average weeks to award |
2011Average weeks to award |
2012Average weeks to award |
|
January |
7 |
7 |
5 |
|
February |
7 |
5 |
5 |
|
March |
6 |
5 |
4 |
|
April |
7 |
6 |
6 |
|
May |
9 |
6 |
|
|
June |
9 |
6 |
|
|
July |
9 |
4 |
|
|
August |
11 |
5 |
|
|
September |
8 |
6 |
|
|
October |
6 |
4 |
|
|
November |
6 |
3 |
|
|
December |
7 |
3 |
|
State pension (non-contributory) |
2010 Average weeks to award |
2011 Average weeks to award |
2012 Average weeks to award |
|
January |
9 |
10 |
11 |
|
February |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
March |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
April |
9 |
9* |
11 |
|
May |
11 |
12 |
|
|
June |
10 |
15 |
|
|
July |
8 |
10 |
|
|
August |
8 |
7 |
|
|
September |
9 |
9 |
|
|
October |
9 |
9 |
|
|
November |
10 |
9 |
|
|
December |
10 |
10 |
*IT system changed.
