Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the issue of social welfare appeals, I will communicate to the Deputy some of the data I released last week which pointed to significant time reductions with regard to FIS, domiciliary care allowance and invalidity benefit applications. They also set out the figures with regard to disability benefit. I will supply that information to the Deputy. I am happy to say the new IT structures, although it is taking time to put them in place, are capable of dealing with the increased volume of applications under all scheme headings. I am as anxious as the Deputy to see waiting times reduced and have complimented staff in the Department on reducing domiciliary care allowance application times to approximately six weeks and family income supplement application times to a similar timespan.

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