Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 399: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of extra staff redeployed within his Department or from other Departments to cater for the increased workload arising from the economic situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40291/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Since May 2008, some 450 additional posts have been assigned to my Department to deal with the significant increase in claims for the schemes operated by the Department. The majority of these posts have been sourced through the lateral transfer and redeployment of staff from within the Department and from other Government Departments. Staffing needs are kept under constant review to ensure that best use is made of all available resources.

It is also recognised that the provision of additional staff in itself is not the only appropriate way to deal with the rising claim load. Since early 2008 all aspects of the work associated with the processing of claims has been examined and streamlining them wherever possible without, of course, compromising our scheme controls. In this context, the Department has introduced a range of process improvement initiatives regarding claims for Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit. One of the most significant initiatives, aimed at reducing queuing times and waiting times, involves the customer attending the office by appointment at which time the claim is taken and decided.

In addition, a range of other process improvements have been introduced which include: § A more streamlined procedure for claimants moving to jobseeker's

allowance when their jobseekers benefit expires; § A streamlined process for people who had a claim in the previous two

years; § Application forms for the jobseeker schemes are now available on the

Department's website. This means that anyone who wants to make a

claim can print the form at home and bring it to the local office

completed. This helps reduce queuing times; § More straightforward procedures for providing evidence of identity and

address have been introduced; § The Department has also simplified processing methods for some

customers who work casually, part-time or on systematic short-time

work.