asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a payable order for £22.82 stated by his Department to have been issued on 2nd October, 1974, to a person (name supplied) in Galway has not been delivered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Payable Order.
13.
The payable order referred to by the Deputy was issued to the person concerned on the 1st November, 1974, and he was informed of this by my Department. The order has not been returned. It has, however, been ascertained that the order has not been encashed and, accordingly, a duplicate order for the amount involved was issued to the claimant on the 18th April, 1975.
I am very grateful to the Parliamentary Secretary but why did he have to wait so long?
I understand that if a cheque is issued and there is a complaint lodged that it has not been received, the procedure then is to ascertain whether or not it was sent to the proper address. If it was not sent to the proper address, a duplicate order is issued immediately. If it was sent to the correct address, inquiries are made from the bank to ascertain whether or not the cheque has, in fact, been cashed. This does involve some delay.
Five months?
No. My understanding of it is that at present it takes approximately six weeks in those circumstances but this has been reduced to four weeks.
In this case, how long did it take?
I understand it is not merely a straight-forward question of the cheque. I understand there were other difficulties involved in this case.
Such as?
Was the cheque referred to the drawer by any chance?
I do not think so.
What were the other circumstances?
According to my notes, his retirement pension entitlement fell for decision under EEC regulations by this Department and the Department of Health and Social Services in Stormont, Belfast. Pending final determination of his pension entitlement, a provisional pension was put into payment but there was no final decision taken on it.
It was not very satisfactory anyway.