Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 138: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the Employment Appeals Tribunal are in a position to deal with excessive delays in dealing with employment appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45785/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Employment Appeals Tribunal is an independent, quasi-judicial body under the aegis of my Department. Secretarial and administrative support is provided by Departmental staff. Additional administrative resources have been allocated to the Tribunal, both last year and this year, to help it process claims.

For claims outside of Dublin, I understand that, over the past three years, the average waiting period for claims to be heard was as follows -

2007 51 weeks

2008 31 weeks

2009 31 weeks (to end Nov 2009).

I also understand that the number of claims to the Tribunal up to November 2009, compared with the same period last year, has doubled. While this is placing considerable pressure on case processing timeframes, I am encouraged by the fact that so far this year there has been no major worsening of the average waiting times. I will be keeping the matter under review and will take further action if possible within the constraints which exist in relation to resources.