Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the issue of slow processing of disability allowance claims, in particular with regard to the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36485/16]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I confirm my department received an application for disability allowance (DA) on 31 August 2015. In order to determine the circumstances of the person concerned, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI).

The SWI has now completed this assessment and has returned it to the DA decisions area. A decision on his entitlement to DA will be made by a deciding officer on receipt of the SWI’s report. The person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

My department apologises to the gentleman in question for not completing the investigation in a reasonable timeframe. The delay was due to an oversight during a period of staffing reorganisation in the relevant division and measures are being taken within that division to prevent this from recurring.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.