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E-mailDESPERATE social welfare recipients forced to appeal the amount of money to which they are entitled are facing delays of up to six months in having their cases heard.
Figures from the Department of Social and Family Affairs show that there has been an increase of 41% in the numbers of people appealing their unemployment benefit and other allowances in 2009.
However, just two new staff members have been appointed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office this year, leading to a chronic backlog.
An opposition TD said in some cases appeals logged back in July were only now being investigated for the first time, according to constituents.
Deputy Tom Hayes said people who had recently lost their jobs were sometimes waiting months for their cases to even be acknowledged.
The latest figures show that more than 22,000 people are expected to challenge the department about what they were entitled to in welfare this year.
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Lost my job last year and it took 18 weeks to get my money - in those 18 weeks I had to go through my circumstances with over 25 members of staff which included one of them calling to my home. With their level of collective incompetence not one of them would last a day in a job in the real world. I hope their wages are hammered in the budget and I have no idea how or why their conditions are bracketed with Nurses and firemen.