Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a backlog of pension claims exists; if so, the details of same; the average waiting time for a claim to be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15321/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all of its customers. Applications are processed and decisions on entitlement are issued as expeditiously as possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply. However, from time to time, due to exceptional circumstances, delays in processing claims can arise.

My Department administers State Pension (Non-Contributory) Widows and Orphan Pensions, Invalidity Pensions, Blind Pensions. There are no backlogs on these schemes.

In respect of the State Pension (Transition) and State Pension (Contributory) which my Department also administers, backlogs have arisen for a variety of reasons.

Delays have been incurred in processing claims in recent months, as a result of:

an increase in the numbers of new claims received since the start of the year,

the implementation in September 2006 of a number of scheme enhancements introduced in Budget 2006,

an unusually high level of staff turnover in the areas concerned, and

the implementation of the new Service Delivery Modernisation Programme.

Currently some 2,700 claims where the person has passed the pension age are awaiting decision. There is a delay of 4 weeks approximately in respect of these cases. Some 3,600 claims in respect of foreign applications are awaiting decision. These claims are usually made after pension age has been reached and involve enquires regarding employment in other jurisdictions. A further 2,400 cases in the course of being processed are awaiting further information before a decision can be made. Finally, 2,800 cases have been received in respect of people who have not yet reached pension age.

A number of actions have been taken to eliminate the delays in processing claims. Priority is given to cases where the person has reached or will shortly reach pension age. Additional temporary staff have been assigned to these pensions sections to speed up claim processing. Staff have been redeployed to the areas experiencing delays. Progress is being made in eliminating delays and it is expected that processing times for new claims will to improve.