Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 1

Written Answers. - Dublin Unemployment Exchange Data.

John Stafford

Ceist:

332 Mr. Stafford asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of, (a) the number of unemployed attending each unemployment exchange in Dublin and (b) the number of employees per exchange; and the reason for any distortions in the ratio of the exchange employee to the total unemployed attending the exchange.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

The following table sets out the number of unemployed dealt with by local offices of my Department in the Dublin area, the staff in each office and the ratio of staff to clients dealt with.

Figures quoted are for week-ending 21 February 1992.

Name of Exchange	Numbers D/W	Total Staff (see note)	Ratios
Gardiner Street	8,113	62	1:131
Werburgh Street	7,291	49	1:149
Cumberland Street	13,131	81.5	1:161
Navan Road	8,596	54	1:159
Kilbarrack	5,541	30.5	1:182
Ballymun	2,869	25	1:115
Nutgrove	4,176	28.5	1:146
Ballyfermot	3,750	29	1:129
Apollo House	3,337	23	1:145
Victoria Street	3,397	24	1:141
Dún Laoghaire	6,954	42	1:165
Clondalkin	4,183	27.5	1:152
Tallaght	6,711	32	1:210
Thomas Street	5,110	36	1:142

Note: Full-time equivalent of full-time and part-time staff —.5 arises from this.

Variations in the ratios can be attributed to many factors, some of which are listed hereunder: (i) Claimants who are dealt with on a postal basis can affect the claim/staff ratio; (ii) Gardiner Street, Werburgh Street and Dún Laoghaire Exchanges deal with the claims of their affiliated branch offices. These offices are located in Balbriggan, Wicklow (2) and Kildare (2). (These arrangements are at present under review). The mix as between claimants who sign for unemployment benefit payments, for unemployment assistance payments and for credits only, thus giving rise to different levels of work, would vary from one office to the other; (iii) Temporary staff vacancies in some offices and fluctuations in the numbers unemployed also impact on the ratios; (iv) Some offices have a greater volume of information queries which also includes the keying in of disability benefit certificates; (v) Tallaght and Clondalkin are non-cash offices where claimants are paid at the local post offices; and (vi) Depending on catchment areas, some offices have more of a turnover of claims than others. These would be offices which deal with a large transient clientele resulting in a higher level of work per claim.