Written answers

Thursday, 5 March 2009

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

5:00 pm

Photo of Noel CoonanNoel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the details of process improvement initiatives introduced to reduce processing times of jobseeker's applications; the locations at which these initiatives have been rolled out; if these initiatives have been extended to all social welfare offices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9146/09]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Becoming unemployed and having to claiming a jobseeker's payment is extremely difficult for people. I am trying to ensure that the process of claiming is made as easy as it possibly can be. Therefore during 2008 we commenced a review of our processes and procedures surrounding the claim-taking and decisions process. To date the following initiatives have been introduced:

A new streamlined process for people who had a claim in the previous 2 years has been implemented in all local and branch offices.

More straight-forward procedures for providing evidence of identity and address have been introduced in all offices.

A simplified procedure and process for people moving to jobseeker's allowance when their jobseeker's benefit expires is currently being trialled and will be extended to all offices later this month.

In addition, we have introduced an appointment system for taking claims in some offices and plan to extend this to other local offices in the coming months. Another initiative developed and trialled involved Deciding Officers meeting certain categories of customer by appointment and taking and deciding claims on the day. It has not yet proved possible to extend this initiative to other offices.

Application forms for the jobseeker schemes are now available on the Department's website. This means that anyone who wants to make a claim can print the form and bring it to the local office completed. This helps reduce queuing times.

In addition, we are reviewing the processes involved in administering claims for those who are working reduced hours i.e. part-time, casual and systematic short time. This is a very labour intensive and manual system which we are looking to simplify over the coming months.

Further such initiatives are under consideration and will be developed by the Department over the coming months.

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