asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cause of the delay in payment of arrears of children's allowances to a person (name supplied) in County Kerry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children's Allowance Arrears.
21.
A payable order in respect of the arrears due to the person concerned was issued on 1st April, 1975.
The delay in issuing the payment arose as the result of relevant papers being misplaced during the processing of the greatly increased volume of payments which arose in connection with the recent general increase in children's allowances and the resultant abnormal pressure of work.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that about three months ago his Department sent a communication to this woman telling her that she would be paid the arrears provided she would inform the Department that she was prepared to accept payment by way of cheque? Does this action on the part of the Department not show complete disregard and contempt for the women and children of the country?
I accept that a fault did occur on the occasion referred to. I accept responsibility for that and regret sincerely any inconvenience or hardship that may have been caused to the person concerned. However, I will not accept the implication in the Deputy's supplementary that there was a deliberate attitude adopted. The vast majority of cases are dealt with speedily and courteously by officials of the Department.
Question No. 22.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary assure the House that in cases of arrears of children's allowances, pensions or any other benefits, the Department would discontinue writing to the people concerned asking if they are willing to accept payment by way of cheque, if at all?
Surely it is legitimate to ask whether a person requires payment by cheque or otherwise? What is the Deputy objecting to?
The person in question was asked whether she wished payment to be made and to state her decision in writing.
The Department is comprised of faceless people.
I have called Question No. 22.
The officials may be faceless but I am not and I accept responsibility for anything that happens in the Department.
On the question of officials, might I suggest that when a person phones the Department the official who answers in the first instance should give his or her name so that in the event of subsequent phone calls on the same subject, there will be no difficulty in speaking with the official who was familiar with the inquiry? When asked to give names, the officials say they are not allowed to do this.
This is a different matter entirely.
The Department is a very big one in which are employed a number of young and inexperienced girls who tend to be intimidated on finding a Deputy or other public representative at the other end of the phone. I suggest that in communicating with the Department, the inquirer asks for the officer in charge of the section who is usually an experienced man who will not be intimidated easily.
Again, a different supervisor might answer on subsequent occasions.
Generally, there is only one supervisor in each section.