Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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405. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the supports that are being made available to community welfare officers in counties Cavan and Monaghan, given the increase in the additional needs' payment applications; the current turnaround times for applications to be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58882/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my Department.

Staffing levels have been maintained in the Community Welfare Service (CWS) nationwide in recent years, even during times when demands on the service decreased significantly. This reflects my commitment to continue to support the delivery of locally based services to citizens. There are currently over 412 staff working in the CWS throughout the country, including 318 Community Welfare Officers (CWOs).

These staff have processed and awarded over 75,000 applications for Additional Need Payments (ANPs) to the end of October this year. This represents a 63% increase in awarded applications compared to the same period in 2021. My Department has already paid an estimated €46 million in ANPs so far this year. Some of this increase can be attributed to the response to support families arriving from Ukraine.

The claims currently being received for ANPs are varied and often quite complex. This reflects the individual circumstances being experienced by each customer. However, where it is clear that a person has an immediate need, every effort is made to ensure they receive a payment on the same day.

Where an application is complete and accompanied by the required documentation, it is generally processed quickly. Where any application cannot be finalised quickly, the delay is normally due to additional information or documentation being requested from the person to support their application and the length of time that it takes for the information to be provided. This can result in longer processing times for these less urgent applications as greater flexibility is given to customers with extended time to respond. Upon receipt of this information, the application is processed quickly.

I have taken a number of steps to support CWOs and increase service capacity, including:

- In light of the increased level of applications, I recently secured agreement for some 74 additional staff to be assigned to the CWS. Recruitment has commenced and it is anticipated that they will be in place by Q1 2023.

- In the interim until the staff have been recruited, 30 Social Welfare Inspectors have been temporarily reassigned to the CWS since the start of November to assist with claims processing.

- The introduction of a national CWS freephone line means that clients don't have to attend an office in person to make a claim or an enquiry.

- The rostering of staff ensures there is a full-time CWO presence in over 50 offices nationwide.

- The establishment of a back-office support team, to take-on the more routine administrative tasks associated with claim processing, frees up front-line CWOs to deal directly with client and their claims.

- The establishment of a national response team, which is the primary resource in responding to pressure points and surges in demand for community welfare services.

- In addition, the Department is well advanced in the development of an online claim option.

These changes mean that the CWS is in stronger position than it would otherwise have been to respond to the increase in service demand.

I trust this clarifies the matter.