A long time initially always gets everybody settled (4)

I believe the answer is:

ages

'a long time' is the definition.
(ages can mean a very long time)

'initially always gets everybody settled' is the wordplay.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'always gets everybody settled' is 'AGES'.

(Other definitions for ages that I've seen before include "Awfully long time" , "Matures" , "Sage (anag)" , "Historical eras" , "Rock of - - (hymn)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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