Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I accept that the backlog and waiting times remain at an unacceptably high level. However, improvements are evident and the waiting times are reducing. I should point out that my Department has, in the eight-month period up to the end of August 2010, processed 51,800 claims, a 96% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2009 when the level of claims processed was 26,405. The number processed in that period also outstrips the total number of claims processed for the whole of 2009 when the level of claims processed was 50,664.

Overall, new claims received in the first eight months of 2010 amounted to 43,449, a fall of just over 20% over the corresponding eight-month period in 2009 when 54,439 claims were lodged. Indicative figures for September, with one further day to go, are promising and point to a significant levelling off of new claims. If this trend continues, it will be very welcome.

The claims backlog, which reached its highest level at 43,000 in the latter quarter of 2009, has been reduced considerably to a level of 32,137 at the end of August 2010 representing a reduction in the backlog of almost 11,000 claims. I understand that when the September figures are finalised over the next day or so, the backlog will show a further significant reduction to about 30,000.

Responsibility for the payment functions arising under the redundancy and insolvency payment schemes is due to be transferred to the Department of Social Protection with effect from 1 January 2011. In transferring the functions between Departments, it is the intention that this will operate seamlessly and without any adverse impact on the service levels being experienced by individuals or the business community awaiting payment of redundancy claims.

The 52 full-time staff work exceptionally hard. They work well and beyond the call of duty. They are flexible and they are conscious that behind these statistics are employees and employers who have faced a difficult turbulence in their lives due to the difficult economic circumstances and those who have lost their jobs.

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