Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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171. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the action her Department has taken to reduce and streamline processing times for social protection payments with a view to minimising hardship on those awaiting the outcome of applications; if she will support a system of automatic notifications between the Revenue Commissioners and her Department once a payment has been awarded, rather than self declaration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32783/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. Each scheme area is continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure customers are responded to as quickly as possible. In this regard, the Department has had major success in clearing backlogs especially in the disability related schemes. It is acknowledged that carers allowance applicants have been experiencing longer processing times over recent months, due in the main to an increased volume of claims. To address this, the Department has assigned additional resources to ensure that the processing time in carers allowance claims is reduced over the remainder of 2015.

When a claim is awarded and put into payment the Department issues an automatic notification to Revenue, covering the type and amount of the payment involved. This removes the need for duplication of activity from the customer and ensures that Revenue hold up to date information on social welfare payments and can take whatever action is necessary to ensure compliance with taxation requirements.