Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the fact that it can take up to 12 weeks for a person applying for jobseeker's benefit on completion of a FÁS course to receive the payment; the steps she is taking to ensure that jobseeker's benefit will be automatically payable to an applicant immediately on completion of a FÁS course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20534/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware of the huge increase in the number of people applying for jobseekers' payments in recent months. This has placed increased pressure on all of the Department's offices and on branch offices. Staff in these offices are working extremely hard to process claims as quickly as possible. In order to deal with the unprecedented number of claims, during the past year an additional 190 staff have been assigned to local offices throughout the country. Many offices are now at capacity in relation to accommodation and to support these offices the Department has set up four central decision units around the country and a further three are planned. In addition, since early in 2008 we have been examining all aspects of the work associated with the processing of claims and streamlining them wherever possible with a view to expediting decisions.

For several years, the Department has operated a fast-tracking system for certain categories of claims. So, for example, if a person supplies all the necessary information and documentation to support their claim at the outset, their claim will be decided ahead of other claimants who have not produced all of the required information. Customers who have already established entitlement on an earlier claim and who then sign off either to go to work or avail of a FÁS course will, generally speaking, not require significant re-investigation of entitlement if they have to sign-on again and will fall into the fast-tracking arrangements. There should be only minimal delay in deciding this type of claim. Inevitably there will be some claims that may require further examination and delays may arise in such cases. However, these should be the minority of cases.

Where there is a delay in processing a jobseeker's claim, the person may apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance from the local Community Welfare Officer.