Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The number of people on the live register almost doubled between May 2008 and May 2009 to a total of nearly 397,000. The average processing time for claims decided in May was 3.4 weeks for jobseeker's benefit and 6.4 weeks for jobseeker's allowance. These are averages and I appreciate that waiting times are longer in some areas. In other areas they are shorter than the average.

The Government is determined to ensure that people who have lost their jobs or been put on shorter working weeks can get access to their entitlements as quickly as possible. To that end, productivity in local offices has increased, claim processing procedures have been improved and extra staff have been put in place. In the five month period to May 2009, over 222,500 claims for jobseeker payments were decided in local offices, up from 133,000 in the same period last year.

As a result of staffing reviews in 2008 and again in recent months, some 300 extra staff have been assigned to local offices, new central support units and the Department's inspectorate since May 2008. These include 90 temporary staff who have been appointed to local offices around the country pending the assignment of permanent staff. Arrangements are also in train to allocate a further 24 inspector posts.

The processing target for jobseeker's benefit is 90% of claims processed in three weeks. In May, 60% of jobseeker's benefit claims were decided within that time. For jobseeker's allowance the target is 90% in six weeks and 65% of claims were decided within this time in May. It is not possible to predict when these targets will be met while the live register continues to increase to record numbers but I am conscious that people need to get access to financial and other supports as quickly as possible and we will continue to work hard to bring processing times back in line with targets.

Deputies will be aware that anyone who is under financial pressure while awaiting a decision on their claim for a jobseeker's payment can apply for supplementary welfare allowance which is subject to a means test and other qualifying conditions.

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