Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will investigate the existing and growing delays in the time it takes for new applicants for one parent family payment to be assessed and informed of the decision made and the action he will take to reduce the delays. [40165/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed and that decisions on entitlement are issued as expeditiously as possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply. These conditions vary from scheme to scheme. In the case of One-Parent Family Payment, this would include confirmation of a person's place of habitual residence and, where appropriate, to assess means. In some cases, there is an unavoidable time lag involved in making the necessary enquiries to enable decisions to be made. Time can also elapse where the applicants do not supply all the necessary information in support of their claim. Increases in the number of claims can also impact on processing times. Operational procedures, the organisation of work, and the allocation of staff resources continue to be reviewed and restructured to maximise the processing capability and to improve these times.