Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average length of time currently taken to process an application for unemployment benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22097/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The national average processing times for jobseeker claims decided during April were 2.33 weeks for jobseeker's benefit and 6.92 weeks for jobseeker's allowance.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average length of time taken to process an application for contributory and or non-contributory old age pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22098/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme. Over the past number of years a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented in the pension scheme area in Sligo. Significant improvements have been achieved in claim processing times and backlogs have been eliminated. Operational processes and procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.

From January 2009, new processing targets, based on processing 90% of claims, were introduced for all schemes. The processing targets and average performance achieved for the period May 2009 to April 2010 in respect of State Pension Contributory (SPC) and State Pension Non Contributory (SPNC) and State Pension Transition (SPT) are outlined below.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for one parent family allowance received in the past 12 months; the number approved and refused; the number referred to appeal; the number of such appeals in respect of which the original decision was overturned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22099/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The statistics in respect of One-Parent Family claims requested by the deputy are contained in the accompanying tables:

OFP appeals registered in the period Jan 2009 to end Dec 2009:

Total Registered 803

Appeal allowed 120

Appeal disallowed 319

Decision revised by DO 201

Appeal withdrawn by appellant 78

Total appeal finalised 718

OFP appeals registered in the period Jan 2010 to end Apr 2010:

Total Registered 385

Appeal allowed 25

Appeal disallowed 81

Decision revised by DO 74

Appeal withdrawn by appellant 30

Total appeal finalised 210

The statistics in respect of appeals are not kept in the same format as the One-Parent Family claims and therefore a breakdown by month is not available.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for child benefit received in each of the past two years to date in 2010; the number granted and refused; the number referred to appeal; the number of appeals in respect of which the original decision was overturned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22100/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the accompanying table.

The number of claims cleared exceeds the number of claims received in each year, due to a carry forward of claims outstanding from the previous year. Statistics relating to 2010 are not currently available due to ongoing industrial action.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of refusals of jobseeker's allowance in each of the past five years to date in 2010; the most common grounds for refusal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22101/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The accompanying table shows the number of disallowances of jobseekers allowance in each of the years from 2006 to date:

There are a number of reasons why a claim may be disallowed. The most common grounds for refusal are:

Means in Excess

The customer does not satisfy the means test. Their income is greater than the appropriate rate for the jobseekers allowance scheme, taken into account their family composition.

Not Habitually Resident in this country

This is where a customer's centre of interest is deemed not to be in Ireland. There are a number of other factors involved in determining if a customer is Habitually Resident in the State.

Other grounds for refusal relate to the conditions of being available for work or being genuinely seeking work.

All decisions relating to the claim are made by deciding officers and where a person is dissatisfied with a deciding officer's decision, they have a right to appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer's allowance refused in each of the past five years to date in 2010; the number of such refusals based on medical grounds or means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22102/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Entitlement to carer's allowance is based on the applicant satisfying medical, means and residency conditions. The information requested by the Deputy is presented in tabular format.