Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current waiting time for an application for child benefit; the number of applicants currently waiting for same to be processed [34791/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Applications for Child Benefit may be dealt with either under domestic legislation or EU legislation.

Claims made under domestic legislation are processed on average within three weeks of receipt. At the end of June 2012, a total of 1,186 domestic claims were pending under domestic legislation, of which 429 were awaiting further information from customers.

Claims made under EU legislation are processed within six months on average. This is due to the need for correspondence with other EU countries, which takes time. A total of 2,218 EU claims were pending at the end of June 2012, of which 1,785 are awaiting further information from the customer or other institutions.