asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the large number of parents who did not receive their children's allowance books on time, he will state the number of complaints that have been received in his Department since 1st July, 1976; the number of cases still outstanding; when they will be finalised; and the reason for the delay.
Written Answers. - Children's Allowance Books.
71.
I am not aware that any substantial number of complaints of the kind mentioned by the Deputy have been received in my Department since 1st July, 1976. I am, however, aware that arising out of exceptional circumstances in the early part of this year some 8,000 inquiries concerning the non-receipt of children's allowance books for one reason or another had accumulated from April last. Less than 500 of these cases are still the subject of correspondence with the persons concerned and as soon as the necessary information is received in my Department to enable them to be dealt with they will be cleared.
The exceptional circumstances referred to related to an unusually large renewal and exchange of children's allowances books in the spring of this year because of the need to change the period of validity of allowance books from two years to one year in the interest of greater efficiency and greater convenience to the public and to the staff of post offices.
The work of exchange and renewal involved the issue of some 500,000 children's allowance books over a relatively short period at the same time as budget increases were being implemented in other social welfare pensions and allowances involving the preparation and issue of a further 300,000 books.
The great majority of the inquiries received had their origin in the failure of the persons concerned to notify the Department of a change of address or to give other essential information in relation to their claims.