Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council, has said that information supplied to the Labour Party indicates a delay for as long as four months for certain welfares. Applications for Disability Allowance are taking an average of 18 weeks, according to the latest information from the Department of Social Protection. The Department outlined other average waiting times such as:
Applications for Disability Allowance are taking an average of 18 weeks, according to the latest information from the Department of Social Protection. The Department outlined other average waiting times such as:
* Invalidity Pension - 16 weeks
* One Parent Family Payment - 15 weeks
* Widows Pension (Non-Contributory) - 12 weeks
* Carer's Allowance - 11 weeks
* Carer's Benefit - 11 weeks
* Family Income Supplement - 10 weeks
* State Pension (Non-Contributory) - 10 weeks
Cllr Looney noted that figures obtained by Labour TD Róisín Shortall show that waiting times for these categories are clearly getting worse. “The average waiting time for Invalidity Pension was 12 weeks in August - now it's 16. Disability Allowance was 13 weeks in August - now it's 18. Carer's Allowance was eight weeks in August - now it's 11.”
“It is obvious that waiting times are worst where the decision involves the assessment of medical evidence. There is a real question if the Department has enough medical officers to deal with the amount of such claims.”
“In many cases, the people applying for assistance are living on the breadline. The long waiting period puts tremendous strain on such people and their families. Residents in Tallaght, Greenhills and other local areas are now forced to rely on the generosity of the already hard-pressed St Vincent de Paul and other charities, or the assistance of the local community welfare officer to get by. We know that in many cases they are forced to borrow from family, friends and, in the worst cases, moneylenders.”
"These waiting times are simply unacceptable, and the Government needs to act immediately to speed up the process by employing more staff in assessing and processing, if necessary transferring them from areas of lower priority. In the medium term, it is clear that better technology can be employed in servicing the needs of welfare recipients,” said Looney.
