Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff processing social welfare payments in 2009; and the way this figure compares with the past five years. [46766/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Deputy is mainly interested in the processing of claims for unemployment benefit payments. Currently there are 2447 posts in the regional network of the Department. This figure includes staff working in the Local Offices, new Central Support Units, the Department's Inspectorate, the Regional Director's Office and Regional Offices. While the main work of the Local Office Network is the processing of claims for unemployment payments, the offices also deal with other Social Welfare claims. In addition, inspectors of the Department undertake means testing and other work associated with processing claims for unemployment payments, along with carrying out means testing for the other schemes of the Department. The following table details the staffing levels in the Regions of the Department since 2005.