People in Kerry are waiting up to 12 weeks for decisions on Supplementary Welfare Allowance applications.
That’s according to Deputy Pa Daly, who says the processing of claims should not be done in County Galway, but should be dealt with locally.
Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly payment for people who don’t have enough income to meet their needs or the needs of their family.
Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly says he, and his party’s Social Protection spokesperson Claire Kerrane, called on Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys a month ago to address excessive delays in claims.
The Kerry deputy feels nothing has been done to improve the situation, with delays going from four to eight weeks a month ago, to 10 to 12 weeks now.
He says, in some cases, he’s dealing with elderly people awaiting a housing grant to help move to accessible accommodation, and they’ve been made wait eight weeks.
Deputy Daly says claims are being sent to Tuam in Co Galway for processing; but he feels the system should revert to the old model where decisions were made at a local level.
