Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 October 2007
88 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the different types of applications processed by his Department; the average waiting time to process each application; the steps he is taking to speed up the processing time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25129/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department processes a wide variety of different applications from Employment Agency Licenses to Grants for Trade Union Amalgamations, from Insolvency Payments, Redundancy Lump Sums and Rebates to Export and Import Licenses and from Employment Permits to Applications for the approval of the prospectus for a proposed Business Expansion Scheme (BES), to name but a few.
We operate a Customer Charter under which ambitious targets are set for the processing of various applications under a wide variety of schemes. My Department strives under the Charter to deliver a Quality Customer Service to all our customers. Where a sudden increase in demand for applications under a particular scheme results in a longer processing time than provided for, we endeavour to take corrective action at the earliest opportunity to bring our Customer Service back into line with Charter Commitments.
Naturally, given the wide range of schemes we operate, the targets we set for processing individual applications vary considerably under the different schemes. For example, Import License applications are generally processed within 2 days whereas an Export License application may take between 5 and 25 days to process depending on whether the Department of Foreign Affairs and/or other EU Member States have to be consulted.
In addition to the many and varied schemes operated by my Department, the Companies Registration Office and the Office of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, which both come under my Department's remit, also exercise a number of statutory functions under which a variety of applications are made to both Offices. In this regard, both Offices also endeavour to process all applications as efficiently as possible. However, as Minister, I have no role to play in the exercise of those statutory functions.
My Department seeks to operate as speedy a decision-making timeframe on all applications as possible consistent with our obligations to examine carefully every single application under whichever scheme we receive. To this end, and as part of the eGovernment agenda, my Department has utilised information technology solutions to increase the efficiency and quality of internal work processes and also to provide a wider choice of access points to customers in terms of making applications online. My Department will continue to introduce further technologically-based solutions as appropriate.
Finally, the following tabular statement details the specific processing times currently applying is the various schemes administered directly by my Department. These can vary depending on demand. If Deputy Naughten has any specific details of delays in processing any specific applications I would be happy to have the matter investigated and report back to the Deputy.
|
Type of Application |
Average Waiting Time to Process each Application (i.e. time to reach decision on application) |
Steps being taken to speed up processing time |
|
Grant for Trade Union Education, Training and Advisory Services |
1 working day |
Not applicable |
|
Employment Agency new licences |
8 weeks |
Not applicable |
|
Employment Agency licence renewals |
2 weeks |
Not applicable |
|
Grant for Trade Union Amalgamations |
36 working days |
Not applicable |
|
Application for Funding under the Workplace Innovation Fund |
9½ weeks |
Liaison with the Social Partners |
|
Insolvency Payment |
4.4 weeks |
Review of procedures |
|
Redundancy Lump Sum Application |
4 weeks |
Encourage greater use of online Redundancy Payments System (RPS) by applicants / liquidators |
|
Redundancy Rebate Application (online) |
6 weeks |
Encourage clients to use the “online” RPS |
|
Redundancy Rebate Application (Manual) |
10 weeks |
Encourage clients to use the “online” RPS |
|
Employment Permits |
15 days |
The customer service target for issuing Employment Permits is 15 working days. Currently, all Employment Permit applications under the various schemes are within that target. |
|
Freedom of Information Act |
Dealt with within the statutory time frames |
Not applicable |
|
Data Protection Acts |
Dealt with within the statutory time frames |
Not applicable |
|
Enterprise Areas Certificate (2-3 per annum) |
Following approval by an Interdepartmental Monitoring Committee, the certificate is usually issued within 15 working days (which includes seeking the formal approval of the Minister for Finance as required by legislation). |
Not applicable |
|
Export Licence |
(1)5 days, if no outside consultation required; (2)15 days, if the Department of Foreign Affairs or other EU Member State has to be consulted; and (3)25 days if both the Department of Foreign Affairs and other Member States have to be consulted. |
Introduction of OELAS electronic application system. |
|
Import Licence |
2 days |
Not applicable |
|
Application for the approval of the prospectus for a proposed Business Expansion Scheme (BES) |
2 Weeks |
Current processing time is regarded as reasonable |
|
Application for alignment of annual return dates of a subsidiary company with its parent |
2-3 weeks depending on the information furnished with the application |
Applicants are being encouraged to provide supplementary information via email. |
|
Exemption from requirement to have all directors names on company’s headed paper |
2-3 weeks depending on the information furnished with the application |
Applicants are being encouraged to provide supplementary information via email. |
|
Occasional Trading Licences |
1 Day |
Not applicable |
|
Media Merger Directions |
8 Days — Under Section 23 of the Competition Act 2002 the Minister has 10 days to issue a direction to the Competition Authority. The Minister has processed 14 applications since 1st January 2007. |
Current processing time is regarded as reasonable. |
