Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

There is a geographical spread throughout the country in terms of this problem. Is the Minister telling me that the advice she is giving to people in Ballyconnell, where they are waiting just under 11 weeks, is to go to Ballymun to apply for their social welfare benefit? If someone with children to feed has been waiting 11 weeks, it is irrelevant that some people elsewhere in the country only have to wait a week or two. That is not dealing with the problem. It is not good enough for the Minister to say she is hopeful that more staff will be in situ. We will hear figures tomorrow that are expected to indicate that 300,000 will be unemployed. The Minister must deal with this problem. We brought it to her attention last October but she only acted in December. We want to see decisive action. This matter needs to be dealt with.

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