Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are currently 4,000 claims awaiting decision at the Cork local office; when a manager will be appointed to the office; the number of the recently recruited extra staff who have been allocated to the Cork local office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3950/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Because of the increased number of claims for jobseeker payments, the Department undertook a review of staffing levels in Local Offices in May and June of last year. This resulted in the assignment of an additional 31 staff to some 15 Local Offices. Following the most recent review of the staffing levels in Local Offices late last year, an additional 115 staff are being assigned.

In addition, a separate exercise was undertaken for the Cork Local Office which identified the need for an additional 12 staff. Arrangements are in train to assign the additional resources required. It was decided to recruit 6 temporary staff pending the appointment of the permanent staff. 3 of these staff are already in place and a further 2 are due to start employment on 9th February 2009.

A new manager has recently been appointed and she will take up duty on 9th February 2009.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it would be possible to continue to pay rent supplement to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who has recently been offered full-time employment and will be marginally over the automatic cut-off rate for rent and mortgage interest supplement while their application for the rental accommodation scheme to Fingal County Council is completed by the local county council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4009/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides for the payment of rent supplement to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs. Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive.

The Executive has advised that it was not aware that the person concerned had commenced full-time employment in October 2008. The person concerned should contact the community welfare officer immediately at his local health centre to discuss his entitlement to rent supplement.

People in full-time employment are normally excluded from payment of rent supplement. People on rent supplement and returning to full-time employment are also excluded from payment of the supplement, unless they have been accepted by a local authority as being eligible for accommodation under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).