Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

648. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the processing times for disability allowance applications; and the work being done to reduce this processing time. [11633/19]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is committed to making decisions on entitlement as quickly as possible.

In general, social welfare schemes with a number of complex qualifying conditions can take longer to process. Before a decision can be made on entitlement to disability allowance (DA), evidence must be provided in respect of the person’s medical condition, the extent to which it restricts them from taking up employment, their means and their habitual residency.

In January 2019, the average waiting time for new DA applications was 14 weeks. The claim processing target for DA is to process 75% of claims within 12 weeks. Staff are being redeployed within the DA area to assist with claims processing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.