Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 833: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason for delay in processing claims for jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit in County Louth by location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38166/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Jobseeker Benefit and Allowance claims for the County Louth area are administered from the Department's Dundalk and Drogheda Social Welfare Local Offices and for Ardee by a Social Welfare Branch office. The average processing times for claims decided in September 2009 for these offices is detailed in the following table:

The length of time it takes to process claims varies depending on the complexity of the claim, the availability of the necessary documentation from the applicant and or his/her employer. In the case of jobseekers allowance, the need to carry out additional enquires including the assessment of means and whether the claimant satisfies the Habitual Residence Condition.

In the case of the Drogheda office and Ardee Branch Office it is acknowledged that processing times are too long and steps are being taken to bring them back to acceptable levels. In this regard, a range of process improvement initiatives have been put in place to deal with the increased volume of claims and processing times including:

An appointments and fast track service decisions service has been introduced. This involves the customer attending their Social Welfare Local Office by appointment at which time the claim is taken and concurrently decided. This system has been introduced in both Drogheda and Dundalk Local offices. Some 40% of new Jobseeker Benefit claims for both offices were processed in October 2009 via this initiative.

Additional Social Welfare Investigative resources have been assigned for the South Louth area - to address the backlog of claims awaiting investigation and consequently improve processing times.

The Regional Local Support Office Unit (LOSU) is providing dedicated staff resources for the processing of Jobseeker Benefit and Allowance claims for Drogheda Local Office and Ardee Branch Office to address the issue of claims pending decisions and processing times.

A more streamlined procedure for claimants moving to Jobseekers Allowance when their jobseekers benefit expires has been introduced.

A streamlined process for people who had a claim in the previous two years is also in operation.

While every effort is made to ensure that applications are processed as quickly as possible, anyone who is under financial pressure while awaiting a decision on their claim for a jobseekers payment can apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance.