Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the procedures in place for tracing missing claims documents in her Department's offices; and the accountability mechanisms in place for these. [9065/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department operates in the region of 70 separate welfare schemes and processes in the order of 2.5 million applications annually under these schemes. There is no evidence that there is any significant problem in my Department regarding missing claim documents. It is important, however, that customers when submitting claims follow carefully the instructions outlined in the application forms and also put their PPS numbers on any accompanying documentation so it can be easily traced and identified if an issue arises.

My Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. To this end, operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continuously reviewed in all areas of my Department. These reviews are supported by modern technology, the potential of which is continuously harnessed. Claims are processed in the most efficient and expeditious way possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme.