Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 527: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) whose employer failed to either issue a redundancy notice or to submit a claim for inability to pay statutory redundancy; the way this person can access their redundancy entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35757/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation

I can confirm that my Department received a statutory redundancy lump sum claim on 8 July, 2010 in respect of the above individual. This claim awaits processing.

In respect of lump sum payments paid directly to employees in instances where employers are unable to pay the statutory redundancy entitlements, the current processing time for these claims has improved and 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.

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.

The backlog and waiting times remain at unacceptable levels. However, improvements are evident. In 2009, my Department processed 50,664 claims, up 70% on the previous year. Furthermore, the level of new claims processed in the first nine months of 2010 was 58,202 – up over 81% on the corresponding 9-month period in 2009 (32,127) and surpassing the total amount of claims processed for the full year 2009 which came to 50,644. The backlog of claims is decreasing - reducing from its highest level in November 2009 of 43,608 to a current level of 29,776.

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.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 528: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if a person (details supplied) in County Offaly has received their redundancy payment; if not, when this person will be issued with this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35786/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation.

I can confirm that my Department received a statutory redundancy lump sum claim on 25 March, 2010 in respect of the above individual.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the redundancy lump sum claim for the individual concerned is at an advanced stage of processing and payment is expected to issue within the next 2/3 weeks.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 529: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if a person (details supplied) in County Offaly has received their redundancy payment; if not, when this person will be issued with this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35787/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation

I can confirm that my Department received a statutory redundancy lump sum claim on 25 March, 2010 in respect of the above individual.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the redundancy lump sum claim for the individual concerned is at an advanced stage of processing and payment is expected to issue within the next 2/3 weeks.