Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to talk to the Taoiseach about the management of the social welfare budget and the policy approaches and unacceptable delays which are adding significant burdens to families, particularly those with children. The delays in processing applications for many social welfare payments, including carer's allowance, disability allowance and invalidity pensions, are unacceptable. Initial applications can take up to nine months, with appeals taking a further six to nine months to process. Yesterday, I was informed that it can take three months for an appeal to get from the Department to the appeals office. Why does it take three months for an appeal to transfer from the relevant section to the appeals office?

Increasingly, applicants are receiving letters stating that, due to the large increase in the number of appeals, some time will elapse before an appeals officer will be in a position to consider their case. In the case of the carer's allowance, the person being cared for can be dead and buried before the family receives any relief.

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