Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 160: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the time normally taken to process applications for statutory redundancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5169/09]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Up until mid 2008, our customer service targets for processing correctly completed redundancy claims were, in order of priority: four-six weeks for statutory redundancy lump sum claims to employees whose employers failed to pay the statutory entitlement; six weeks where claims were correctly submitted online, hard copy printed down correctly signed and sent in by employer; 10+ for manual claims sent in by employers. By and large these targets were met.

In mid-2008, there was a surge in the number of claims received in Redundancy Payments, such that by the end of the year there had been an increase of 59.9% over 2007. At that time, customer service targets had slipped as staff were unable to cope with such a massive increase in claim numbers. Actual targets being achieved were, in order of priority: 6-8+ weeks for statutory lump sum payments to employees whose employers had failed to pay the statutory entitlement; 12+ weeks for correctly submitted online claims, hard copy printed down correctly signed and sent in by employer; 16+ for manual claims sent in by employers.

I have allocated additional new staff to the Redundancy Payments Section in recent weeks and work has commenced on clearing the backlog, while pressing ahead with the payment of statutory redundancy lump sums to those employees whose employers have failed to pay their entitlements. However, the number of claims continues to rise.

Revised customer service targets are currently being established and the staffing level within the section is being closely monitored with a view to ensuring that claimants get the best possible service at, what is for them, a very difficult time.