Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I welcome any steps taken to reduce the processing time but I am concerned about the pace of delivery of the changes. The Minister stated claimants could avail of the supplementary welfare allowance but the difficulty is that part of the service has gone beyond breaking point, according to some staff. The knock-on effect of not having sufficient staff in local welfare offices means claimants are forwarded to community welfare officers, CWOs, who are inundated. The number of claims they process has increased by 85% over the past two years.

What is the average delay at this time? Has it improved since we last discussed the issue in February? Perhaps the times have improved in some offices but I am sure they have deteriorated in others. The Minister issued a statement outlining the additional need for staff in her Department and said the matter had been raised with the Department of Finance. What was the Department's response? Will additional staff be provided?

The Minister stated between 40 and 60 facilitators had been approved. Last July, she announced 50 additional facilitators would be taken on. Were all of them recruited?

Before community welfare officers make a payment to a claimant, they carry out an assessment to ensure the person is entitled to the allowance he or she is seeking from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. They can process that within a week before making the payment. How can a CWO, given his or her workload, do that while the Department's officials take up to 16 weeks to process claims in some instances?

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