John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be granted supplementary welfare allowance on a once-off basis to rectify a problem in their home which is a health hazard. [15561/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that it was contacted by the person concerned seeking assistance with repair work on his house in May 2011. The HSE advised that no formal application for a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was received. The person concerned was advised to contact Kilkenny County Council directly as he is a tenant in a shared ownership scheme.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for jobseeker's allowance approved in each of the past three years to date in 2011; the numbers referred to appeal in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15611/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In 2010 there were 191,144 jobseeker's allowance claims awarded. 5,506 cases were appealed and of these 534 were either awarded or partially awarded by appeals officers. To date in 2011 there were 69,235 jobseeker's allowance claims awarded, 1,789 appeals and 453 awarded or partially awarded by appeals officers. These data show that over 99% of awards are made without referral to the appeals officers.

A more complete breakdown can be found in the following table:

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average length of time taken to process an application for contributory or non-contributory old age pension in each of the past five years to date in 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15612/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Table: New claims average processing times in weeks: 2007 to (end-April) 2011.

The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. All scheme areas are subject to continuous business process improvement supported by modern technology. Claims are processed in the most efficient and expeditious way possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme. The Department has already automated the State pension (contributory) scheme. Most recently, as part of the Department's programme of service delivery modernisation, the State pension (non-contributory) is being moved onto a new IT administration platform. This work has commenced and it is anticipated that the new system will introduce significant processing efficiencies and a quicker and more responsive service to customers.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for various social welfare payments refused on habitual residency grounds in each of the past five years to date in 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15613/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004.

All applicants - regardless of nationality - for the following payments are required to be habitually resident in the State:

· Jobseeker's Allowance

· State Pension (Non-Contributory for persons aged over 66)

· Blind Pension

· Widow's, Widower's and Orphan's Non-Contributory Pensions

· One-parent Family Payment

· Carer's Allowance

· Disability Allowance

· Supplementary Welfare Allowance (including Rent Supplement)

· Domiciliary Care Allowance

· Child Benefit

The number of applications that have been disallowed welfare payments, based on the failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition, from 1 January 2005 to the end of May 2011 is set out in the following table. Please note that figures for 2010 are incomplete due to industrial action when figures were not collected. Statistics in relation to the number of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) claims that do not satisfy the habitual residence condition are not maintained by the various HSE areas. Table: Claims disallowed under Habitual Residence Condition, 2005 – 2011

*Figures for 2010 are incomplete due to industrial action.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to alleviate hardship caused arising from long delays associated with the processing of various social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15614/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Every effort is made to decide on the entitlement of any individual person as close to their eligibility date as possible. However, there are cases where delays will be experienced, this can occur because of a delay within the Department in processing the claims or a delay on behalf of the customer in submitting information.

Processing times vary across schemes because of both the volume of applications and the differing qualification criteria. For example, means assessments are required for all of the social assistance schemes; medical examinations are required for some of the illness related schemes and customers must also satisfy the habitual residence conditions. In the case of the insurance-based schemes, it may be necessary to ascertain details of foreign insurance records.

As the Deputy will be aware, one of the main impacts on current service delivery has been the increase in the Live Register. 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 their local office by appointment at which time the claim is taken and decided. Process improvements have resulted in a significant reduction in the number and proportion of all claims awaiting a decision. For example, there were 33,591 jobseeker claims awaiting a decision on 4 June 2011 equating to 7% of the total claim-load. This compares favourably to 5 June 2010 when 46,879 claims or 9% of claim-load were awaiting decision and 74,553 claims or 16% of claim-load in June 2009.

The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. All scheme areas in the Department are subject to continuous business process improvement supported by modern technology, the potential of which is continuously harnessed and applied to maximum effect.

The plans to integrate the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive into my Department together with the employment and other services of FÁS, and functions transferred from other Departments represent significant milestones in business transformation and will provide the basis for a new model of service delivery in my Department. This will ensure that our services and resources are organised to deliver effective, more timely, case management based, income and employment support services to our customer base. In situations where customers find themselves suffering financial hardship while awaiting such a decision, the facility to receive Supplementary Welfare Allowance, funded by the Department and administered by the Community Welfare Service, is available. More than 95% of basic SWA applications are decided on and paid within a week.