Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
677. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing time for applications for supplementary welfare allowance for the years 2023 to 2026, broken down by local authority area, in tabular form. [37192/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraBasic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or for those who do not qualify for a payment under other State schemes. Basic SWA payments are means tested and are administered by Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) in the Community Welfare Services (CWS), who consider the requirements of the legislation and all relevant circumstances of the case. As part of the application process, a person is asked to provide personal, financial, household, and other information in support of their claim to determine eligibility and to establish a need as considered necessary.
The Department does not collate or hold records of processing times for SWA by Local Authority. Information is recorded based on national processing times only. Therefore, this information is not available for the Deputy.
The national average processing time for basic SWA for the years 2023, 2024, 2025 to date remains at one week on average per year. Historic information on basic SWA processing times is publicly available on gov.ie.
CWS is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
