Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 526: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the number of persons in North Tipperary awaiting redundancy payments from his Department; the length of time these persons have been waiting; when it is envisaged they will be paid; the number of persons waiting nationally; the steps being taken to speed up the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35719/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the Deputy with all the specific information he has requested, as the Department does not collate statistics for claims awaiting processing on the basis of local authority boundaries. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that at this time my focus and that of my Department is on ensuring that redundancy payments are processed as quickly as possible.

I can advise the Deputy that the latest figures available to end September 2010 indicate that, on a national basis, the backlog of claims is decreasing, reducing from the highest level in November 2009 of 43,608 to a current level of 29,776. I would also point out that in the 9-month period up to the end of September 2010, the number of claims processed by my Department was 58,202, up 81 % compared to the corresponding period in 2009 (32,127), which also exceeds the total number of claims processed for the whole year (50,664).

It may also be helpful to the Deputy to note that currently the weekly intake of new claims is an average of just over 1,200. Overall, new claims received in the first nine months of 2010 amounted to 47,587, a fall off of just over 21 % over the corresponding 9 -month period in 2009 when 60,428 claims were lodged.

The Redundancy Payments Section of my Department is currently processing rebate claims from employers in general dating from March 2010 so that the waiting time is currently between 6 and 7 months. In respect of lump sum payments paid directly to employees in instances where employers are unable to pay the statutory redundancy entitlements, claims dating from March 2010 are currently being processed. Of course in some instances, where the necessary supporting documentation for lump sum claims is not provided to my Department, or where queries arise, processing of claims can be further delayed until the required documentation is provided and/or outstanding queries are resolved.

I acknowledge the Deputies' concerns in relation to processing times overall given the difficulties which delays give rise to for employees and employers alike but would like to assure the Deputies that my Department continues to make every effort to reduce processing times. Measures already taken in the Department to alleviate the pressures on the Payments area include: · Almost doubling the number of staff working solely on redundancy payment claims through reassignment to a current level of 52 full time equivalents; · Prioritisation of the Department's overtime budget towards staff in the Section to tackle the backlog outside normal hours; · Establishment of a special call handling facility in NERA to deal with the huge volume of telephone calls from people and businesses concerned about their payments;

· Better quality information relating to current processing times on the Department's website; · Engagement with the Revenue Commissioners to facilitate the offset of redundancy rebate payments by employers against existing outstanding tax liabilities which those employers owe to the Revenue Commissioners.

Responsibility for the payment functions arising under the Redundancy and Insolvency payment schemes is due to be transferred to the Department of Social Protection with effect from 1 January 2011. In transferring the functions between Departments, it is the intention that this will operate seamlessly and without any adverse impact on the service levels being experienced by individuals or the business community awaiting payment of redundancy claims. End of Take