asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will make arrangements to pay pensions directly to pensioners bank accounts if requested.
Written Answers. - Pension Payments.
20.
The computerisation of the Department's pension payments systems has been largely completed and it is possible to consider giving pensioners the most modern payment facilities which computerisation can make available. Among these facilities is the possibility of providing pensioners with the option of having their pensons paid directly into Post Office or bank accounts. This matter has, in fact been under consideration by my Department for some time and we are currently at the stage where a questionnaire is about to be issued to a sample of retirement pensioners in order to ascertain the level of interest in such a system.
It will also be necessary to have discussions with staff interests on the revised arrangements. If everything goes according to plan it is hoped to have a pilot scheme in operation for retirement pensions early next year.