Written answers
Wednesday, 7 February 2024
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Departmental Staff
Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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305. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her total Departmental headcount; the headcount for staff dealing with social assistance claims; the corresponding figure for social insurance claims; the average processing time for each social assistance and social insurance scheme respectively; the number of applications under each scheme in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5338/24]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The total permanent headcount for the Department of Social Protection as sanctioned by DPENDR for 2024 is 6,464 (up 100 from 2023). At the end of 2023 the Department was 22.52 under the permanent staff allocation of 6,364.
Departmental staff (Social Welfare Inspectors, for example) may undertake work across both social assistance and social insurance schemes. In addition, staffing levels in particular areas may vary during the year as claim activity fluctuates. It is thus not possible for the Department to disaggregate its headcount by staff dealing with social assistance or social insurance claims.
The data requested by the Deputy concerning the average processing time in December 2023, and number of applications by scheme in 2023, is shown in the attached tabular statement.
| Scheme | Number of applications in 2023 | Average weeks to award in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Contributory) - Irish | 43,057 | 7 |
| State Pension (Contributory) - EU/International | 4,184 | 5 |
| Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension | 8,616 | 1 |
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 12,370 | 7 |
| Jobseekers Allowance | 119,744 | 1 |
| Jobseekers Benefit | 151,508 | 1 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | 13,103 | 4 |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance | 54,146 | 1 |
| Maternity Benefit | 43,253 | 6 |
| Paternity Benefit | 29,177 | 6 |
| Parent's Benefit | 76,935 | 1 |
| Carer's Allowance | 22,617 | 6 |
| Carer's Benefit | 4,492 | 4 |
| Disability Allowance | 28,704 | 10 |
| Invalidity Pension | 11,498 | 7 |
| Illness Benefit | 372,528 | 1 |
| Occupational Injury Benefit | 7,536 | 1 |
| Child Benefit | 35,203 | 1 |
| Working Family Payment | 30,125 | 7 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 12,290 | 6 |
| Household Benefits | 74,282 | 1 |
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