Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she is satisfied that there are sufficient resources with the habitual residence condition unit in her Department to allow for the speedy processing of jobseeker claims. [16994/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. It was introduced in the context of the Government's decision to open the Irish labour market to workers from the ten new EU Member States, without the transitional limitations which were imposed at that time by most of the other Member States. The effect of the condition is that a person whose habitual residence is elsewhere would not normally be entitled to social assistance or child benefit payments on arrival in Ireland.

At present, the habitual residence condition central unit is staffed by nine staff. The unit deals with habitual residence condition decisions in respect of certain Jobseekers Allowance and One-Parent Family claims. Habitual residence condition decisions for child benefit, disability allowance, carers allowance and pensions are now made in their respective headquarter offices. To further expedite the decision-making process, the responsibility for deciding the habitual residence component of those social assistance claims processed by local offices is being devolved to the recently established Local Office Support Unit.

Formal training for the staff involved is due to commence in May 2009 and this will cover the Support Units in Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Finglas and Townsend Street. In Dublin. The training of the remaining support units will be scheduled as these units become fully operational in processing claims for job seeker payments. The localisations of the decision making functions when completed will result in speedier processing of claims involving decisions on habitual residence.