Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he will take to expedite the process of social welfare claims requiring calculation or contributions in more than one jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12244/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Entitlement to social welfare payments can be assessed using contributions paid in EU countries and countries with which Ireland has bilateral agreements. My Department has bilateral social security agreements in place with seven countries: Austria, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the USA and Switzerland. A bilateral understanding also exists with Quebec since 1994.

By far the largest number of cases involving EU and bilateral pro rata pension entitlement are those with UK insurance. The time taken to process claims that fall to be examined under EU and bilateral agreements is longer than that for standard Irish entitlements, reflecting the added complexity that arises in determining entitlements under these agreements. Every effort is made to minimise processing times, the overriding objective in dealing with these claims is to ensure that people receive their full entitlements. However certain elements of the process fall outside the control of my Department.

The EU-international section of my Department, which deals with retirement and old age contributory pensions, which make up the bulk of EU and bilateral pension, has a backlog of cases which is resulting in delays. The position is being kept under review and steps have been taken to further improve the situation with the recent assignment of additional staff. Technological solutions are also being applied to the claim process to help reduce time taken to process EU claims. Regular contact is made with the UK social security authority and other foreign agencies to ensure the smooth transfer of the necessary information required to decide on these claims.

I assure the Deputy that delays in processing applications will not result in any losses to pensioners and those who qualify for payment will have their claims backdated fully in accordance with the normal regulations for backdating pension claims.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he intends to improve the living alone allowance payable to certain categories of social welfare recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12245/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The living alone allowance is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare type payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people under 66 years of age who are living alone and are receiving payments under one of a number of invalidity schemes. For many years the policy on support for pensioners has been to commit resources to improving the personal pension rates for all pensioners, rather than supplementary payments such as the living alone allowance. This approach ensures the position of all our pensioners is improved. Any change in policy on the living alone allowance would have to be considered in a budgetary context.