Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for disability allowance, invalidity pension and domiciliary care allowance in 2012; the average waiting times and total percentage of successful applicants for each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4268/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department received 4,339 claims for domiciliary care allowance in 2012, with 4,680 claims processed. There are no claim backlogs in domiciliary care allowance where claims were processed within six weeks, on average, with 34% awarded the allowance.

A total of 11,510 claims were received in 2012 for invalidity pension, with 17,775 decided. Invalidity pension claims were processed within 16 weeks, with 36% awarded. However, new invalidity pension claims are now being processed promptly upon receipt and all backlogged claims have been actioned and are either decided or awaiting further information necessary to make a decision.

The Department received 25,887 claims for disability allowance in 2012. A total of 26,159 claims were processed, with 40% awarded. Disability allowance claims were processed, on average, within 17 weeks.

The time required to process a new application under these schemes can vary depending on the complexity of the individual circumstances and whether full information is provided by the person claiming at the outset. In addition, a request for a review or an appeal by a person whose claim is disallowed will add to the length of time taken to deal with the claim.

As part of the Department's major ongoing service delivery modernisation programme, new service delivery schemes have been rolled out in the long-term illness schemes, that is, the invalidity pension, the carer's allowance and the disability allowance, during 2011 and 2012. Following the deployment of the new system, an in-depth business process improvement project was initiated in each of the schemes aimed at maximising capacity to deal with weekly intake of applications, eliminating backlogs and ensuring optimum efficiency.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The remainder of the reply will be read into the record.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I wish to emphasise that we made changes to our business processes last year. We have virtually eliminated the backlog in applications for the invalidity and domiciliary care allowances. In the case of the disability allowance we will have all the backlog eliminated shortly. This is in the context of the volume of applications going up and a considerable number of experienced personnel from the Department having resigned in the earlier part of last year.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The business process improvement programme commenced in the invalidity pension section in May 2012. At that time, there were approximately 7,300 new claims awaiting a decision. All new claims are dealt with on receipt, all backlogged claims have been actioned and reduced to approximately 3,000 claims that are awaiting further information or a medical assessment to allow a decision to be made. This number also includes approximately 900 cases which fall to be decided under EU regulations or bilateral agreements. Such cases are more complex and take longer to investigate and decide.

A business process improvement project is under way in disability allowance at present with a view to putting together a plan, similar to that successfully implemented for invalidity pension, for the prompt processing of weekly intake and the elimination of the current backlog. While the plan has not yet been finalised and rolled out, it is anticipated that the backlog of disability allowance applications will be eliminated by the end of quarter 2, 2013.

The Department is holding an information session on its illness schemes tomorrow, Wednesday, 30 January to which all Oireachtas Members and their staff are invited.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that there are now no backlogs in domiciliary care allowance and invalidity pension schemes. While there is a backlog in disability allowance we have a programme in place to deal with it.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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There are two aspects to this, the questions of eligibility and delay, and I will deal with them separately. I sought this information from the Department some time ago and I received figures for up to the end of September 2012. I understand the figures the Minister is providing now relate to the full calendar year. Is that the position?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Yes.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Anyway, they do not vary much in terms of success rates. According to the Minister's reply there is a 66% refusal rate for domiciliary care allowance. In other words, two of every three claims are refused. It is similar for invalidity pensions: almost two of every three claims are refused and the refusal rate is somewhat less for disability allowance but it remains at approximately 60%. Does the Minister agree that this represents a substantial increase in rates of refusal for these matters in the past two years? It appears that now a person applying for invalidity pension must be even more of an invalid than ever before. The person applying for domiciliary care allowance must have a particularly acute form of autism, cerebral palsy or intellectual disability. Will the Minister explain this dramatic increase in the refusal rates?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Since 2009, when Deputy Willie O'Dea was a member of the Government, the number of claims has increased enormously under all headings, while numerous civil servants have taken early retirement, including very experienced staff. In that context, I undertook a complete overhaul of the system and implemented IT improvements and I am happy to say that by the end of the year the backlog of domiciliary care allowance and invalidity pension applications had been significantly dealt with. There is now no backlog of applications for domiciliary care allowance. Expenditure under the headings under discussion has gone up since last year.

There can be a problem where a person does not provide all of the data and details necessary to support an application. It can mean having to revert to seeking additional information. There are certain areas in which deciding on claims may be more difficult. It must be remembered that a claim is made by an individual, but it is the medical adviser who supplies the actual data to support it.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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We now move to Question No. 124.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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I understand I am entitled to raise a second query.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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That is within the time allowed of four minutes. I have been giving guidance on the time allocated.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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In dealing with a priority question we are entitled to ask a second question.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Very quickly.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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I disagree with the Minister on the issue of times. Her Department's official statement sets out that there is an eight month waiting period for claims for invalidity pension and a further eight month waiting period where there is a need to appeal. That applies to summary decisions, not oral hearings. The waiting period is 16 months from beginning to end. Does the Minister agree that this is unreasonable? Does she agree that it has been the experience of Deputies on all sides of the House that delays are increasing inordinately?

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has 20 seconds in which to reply. I want to clarify the position. There are four minutes available for cross-questioning. I must go by the clock.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Twenty seconds.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Yes, otherwise we will move on to Question No. 124.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Deputy Willie O'Dea should recognise that the Department of Social Protection has completely overhauled its business systems and claims processing times have been transformed.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Not according to the Deparment.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We have deployed additional staff to clear the backlog. The Deputy's information dates from last August.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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It has got worse since.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We have appointed backlog teams and I am very happy to say it is working. Family income supplement claims have been transferred to Donegal for processing. On Thursday my Department is hosting a session for Members and their staff to discuss improvements in the data and information supplied to the Department to assist those with a strong claim to ensure the appropriate information is provided.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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The session has been cancelled.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Perhaps that is due to events at the weekend.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am limiting the discussion of priority questions strictly to six minutes. There are two minutes for the Minister's initial reply and four minutes for supplementary questions and answers.