JOBSEEKERS ARE waiting up to four months and more for dole payments in some parts of the country, the Department of Social and Family Affairs has confirmed.
The longest waiting time is in Edenderry, Co Offaly, where claimants are now waiting an average of 22 weeks for their applications for the jobseeker’s allowance to be processed.
The average waiting time for the allowance in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, in Loughrea, Co Galway and in Castlepollard, Co Westmeath is 18 weeks.
In Tuam, Co Galway and in Boyle, Co Roscommon, it is 16 weeks. The average waiting time across the country is now seven weeks.
The previous waiting times, reported for April, were 16 weeks in Edenderry, 15 weeks in Clonakilty, Co Cork, 14.5 weeks in Tuam, Co Galway and 13 weeks in Boyle, Co Roscommon.
The processing of applications for the jobseeker’s allowance are more time-consuming than for the jobseekers benefit, as the former is a means-tested payment.
The latter is more straightforward to process, based on PRSI stamps paid by the individual while they had been working.
Labour Party spokeswoman on Social and Family Affairs Róisín Shortall described the processing times for the allowance as “disappointing”.
A spokeswoman for the department said the number of people signing on the Live Register over the past year had increased by 78 per cent, from over 247,300 to over 440,000, leading to the delays.
