Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Bríd Smith for her question. My Department is committed to providing a quality service to those who submit applications for different schemes. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Where any scheme experiences delays, all possible steps are taken to improve processing times. This is not a static or once-a-year process. We continuously assess all schemes throughout the year and, where necessary and possible, we assign additional resources to areas experiencing delays. We continuously review our business processes to ensure the efficient processing of applications.

In the case of carer’s allowance, additional staff were reassigned to that area in October and November and claim processing times are improving. This is against a background of 3,500 new applications having been received in October and November. The goalposts are consistently moving but we are constantly monitoring the situation. Processing times now stand at 16 weeks, which is an improvement on the 17 week processing times we had in October. This improvement is a direct result of us putting more men and women into that particular section. However, Deputy Bríd Smith is right about delays. We have a target of a 12 week turnaround and we are a long way from reaching it.

A number of new appeals officers have joined the appeals office in the past 18 months to replace experienced staff who have retired. Given the complexity of the appeals process, it takes some time for new staff to be trained up, to develop expertise in how the process works and to deal with the files as quickly as we would expect. The fact that they were in training for the last year and developing that expertise led to an extension of the average processing time for appeals.

The desire to process appeals quickly has to be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent, of the highest quality and made in accordance with the legislative provisions and the general principles of fair procedures and natural justice. The chief appeals officer has advised me that appeal processing times continue to be a priority for her office and that she expects them to improve as recently appointed staff develop the necessary experience and expertise to determine appeal decisions to the standard required.

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