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Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 November 2016

Thursday, 3 November 2016

Ceisteanna (97, 99)

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

97. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting times for the processing of carer's allowance and domiciliary care allowance; the measures he is taking to ensure applications are processed as soon as possible; his views on the matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33154/16]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

99. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting times for the processing of carer's allowance and for domiciliary care allowance; the measures he is taking to ensure applications are processed as soon as possible (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33170/16]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 99 together.

The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.

The current processing times for Carers Allowance (CA) applications is 14 weeks and for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) applications is 16 weeks. Both schemes have seen a considerable increase in applications in recent years. Applications for DCA in 2015 were 33% higher than in 2013. Applications for CA in 2015 were 25% higher than in 2013. These increases, together with the need to introduce new revised decision making processes in early 2014, to demonstrate compliance with a High Court decision, have impacted on the volumes of applications processed within the set target.

Reducing these waiting times is a priority for the Department and we are working hard to make this happen. As part of its programme of service delivery modernisation, a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented by the Department in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.

In addition, staffing needs are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources. Where additional staffing is deployed to a scheme, such as has happened for carer’s allowance, there is a time-lag involved while those staff are trained and build up expertise. The Department has seen a significant reduction in CA processing from 22 weeks at the end of May to 14 weeks at the end of September and expects the processing times for both schemes to reduce further, as recently assigned staff get up to speed with the work involved in claim processing.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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