Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The average time taken to award a claim for carer's allowance in the first quarter of 2011 was 12 weeks. A total of 3,815 applications were registered in the first quarter of 2011 and 3,883 were processed in the same period. Some 4,509 applications are awaiting a decision at present. Approximately 51,000 carer's allowance claims are in payment. I acknowledge that the time taken to process carer's allowance claims is not satisfactory but I am satisfied that the Department is taking appropriate steps to resolve the situation. It recently commenced a major service delivery modernisation project to improve the efficiency with which it processes applications from clients for carer's allowance. This involves the development of information technology functions and associated business process reorganisation.

It is anticipated that the new system will introduce significant processing efficiencies and a quicker and more responsive service to the customer. Accordingly, the project is being given high priority. It involves a significant level of time and commitment from the relevant staff in the Department. This has had a short-term negative impact on claim processing times. I am pleased to say the modernisation project is on target. The first tranche of new carer's allowance claims will be processed under the new system from July. Although the new systems and processes will facilitate a significant improvement in overall processing times, individual claims may continue to take some time to process. Entitlement to carer's allowance is based on satisfying medical, means and residency conditions. In determining entitlement to the allowance, in certain cases unavoidable time lags are involved in making the necessary investigations and inquiries to enable accurate decisions to be made. Delays can also arise if those applying for the allowance are not in a position to supply all the necessary information in support of their claim.

The staff and other resources available to the Department are regularly reviewed with regard to the workload. The Department monitors available resources against workload on an ongoing basis with a view to ensuring claims are processed as quickly as possible. The action taken may include providing for flexibility in the application of staff resources in accordance with seasonal or temporary fluctuations in workload and using overtime where appropriate. The position is being kept under continuous review. In the meantime, if a person's means are insufficient to meet his or her needs while awaiting a decision on a claim, he or she can apply for a means tested supplementary welfare allowance payment from his or her community welfare officer.

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