Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Departmental Staff

10:00 am

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 429: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff working in the Blanchardstown social welfare office at present and at end 2009; the waiting time for the processing of claims for jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance respectively; the steps taken in the past six months to bring down waiting times; the extent to which staff have been deployed to or from this office over the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29234/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The current staffing level of the social welfare local office in Blanchardstown is 41.1 posts and was 40.6 posts at the end of 2009. During the past two years 7 additional staff were assigned to the office and a further 7 staff were assigned to fill vacancies that occurred in the office.

The current processing times for claims in the office are 1.17 weeks for jobseeker's benefit and 8.44 weeks for jobseeker's allowance. Last December the comparable figures were 1.31 and 9.19 weeks respectively. The percentage of claims pending award has also fallen from 19% of the claimload at the end of December 2009 to 14% at the end of June 2010.

A range of measures have been used to reduce the backlog of claims awaiting decision, including re-vamping the appointments system to get more appointments done and to get more claims decided at the appointment stage, the use of overtime including weekends and use of the regional support unit to assist in deciding claims.

Overall the measures taken to reduce the waiting time are proving worthwhile, but during the period December 2009 to June 2010, industrial action taken by staff reduced the effectiveness of the measures. Now that this action has ceased, it is expected that further improvements will be seen in the processing times. The workflows in this office and customer service generally are being monitored closely by local management.

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