Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

We are doing what the Deputy suggests by significantly expanding the use of technology in social welfare appeals. Longer serving Deputies will recall that the processing time for pensions had risen enormously a couple of years ago simply due to demographic change and the increase in the numbers applying for benefits. New business processes were introduced and the system is now working very well. We are now in the process of introducing similar systems to a range of payments which involve exacting conditions, including the carer's allowance, invalidity payments and disability allowances. The application of new business methods and new technologies have meant additional delays in the short term in the case of certain payments but as we bring all of this area into the new system, applications will be dealt with more speedily and we will be in a position to address the backlog.

At that stage I would like to be in a position to set up a telephone helpline for Deputies because one of the problems is the enormous volume of social welfare questions submitted by Deputies, as is their right and entitlement. These questions require the allocation of a considerable amount of senior resources. Deputies may recall that last year I asked the staff of my Department to run a number of seminars for new Deputies and their staff to facilitate them in dealing with constituents' inquiries. We are spending a vast amount of departmental time in dealing with a huge number of queries and I would like to introduce a telephone helpline by the end of this year or next year.

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