Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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159. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a data error on the social welfare system will be rectified (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28333/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that the record of the individual referred to by the Deputy has been updated on my Department's systems and that an officer of my Department contacted her on 27th May 2022 to confirm that the record referred to by the Deputy had been updated.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a basic social welfare payment will issue to a person (details supplied) who has two dependent children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28341/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for a One-Parent Family Payment (OPFP) with effect from 14/04/2022.  This claim is currently being assessed and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome in writing.

The person concerned applied for a basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) with effect from 13/04/2022.  In addition to a number of other qualifying criteria, a person must satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition (HRC) for this income support.  The SWA application was disallowed as the person concerned did not meet the HRC.  A decision letter dated 12/05/2022 issued to the person concerned advising her of the outcome and affording her the opportunity to seek a review of the decision and/or appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) which functions independently of my Department.

My officials have been advised that the Immigrant Council of Ireland is assisting the person concerned in relation to her status in Ireland.  As an interim measure and to alleviate financial burden, the person concerned has been awarded an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) of €246 each week since 04/05/2022.  ENPs towards confinement costs and rent payments of €100 and €114.23 respectively have also issued to the person concerned.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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161. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a disability allowance application by a person (details supplied) will be processed; the reason for the delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28439/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 21 February 2022.

The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.

The application has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 01 March 2022 for a report on the person’s means and circumstances.  Following further recent contact with the Inspectors office, the claim has been assigned to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for an urgent assessment.  Once the SWI has submitted his/her report, a decision will be made on the application as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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162. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average processing times for disability allowance applications for each month to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28440/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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. 

The claim processing target for DA is to process 75% of claims within 10 weeks.  Currently 97% of claims are completed within this timeframe.  The average weeks to award currently stands at 6 weeks.

Disability Allowance Average Weeks to Award:

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.