asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has considered a system whereby his Department would agree, with the approval of recipients, to make payments directly to local authorities for rent thereby eliminating the risks of eviction; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authorities Rent Payments.
15.
Under present legislation social welfare payments can except in special circumstances only be paid to the person entitled to the payment and there are no arrangements whereby my Department can make deductions from social welfare payments in respect of third parties, such as local authorities.
A substantial project in computerising unemployment payments is under way and this very large task, involving the extension of computer systems to a total of 130 offices, will take several years to complete and will absorb available computer resources during that period.
In parallel I am continuing to examine ways of expanding the one-stop-shop concept. This would enable my Department to deal with potential requirements such as direct debiting of local authority rents. Because, however, of the fundamental and complex changes in the existing systems which this type of development would involve, substantial progress must await completion of the project to computerisation of unemployment payments. Furthermore, if this facility were provided it would also have to be available for other regular household expenses. I hope to complete the first phase of computerising the unemployment payment systems within 2-3 years and to begin to introduce additional features from 1991 onwards. The type of provision referred to by the Deputy will be considered in that context.
I am disappointed by the Minister's response to what is a genuine call from members of local authorities who do not want to be involved in the eviction of people on social welfare incomes. Despite the best efforts of local authorities and county sheriffs, the Minister's Department have refused, even in cases where the recipients have given their permission to do so, to pay this sum directly. This would prevent evictions, some of which have taken place recently. It is going to take time to computerise the system and implement all the other magnificent programmes the Minister speaks about. People are being put out on the street as they are incapable of using the limited resources they receive from the Department of Social Welfare in paying their rent. I do not believe any member of a local authority, any manager or sheriff wants to put people out on the road——
Brevity, please.
This is a very important subject and I hope the Minister responds favourably. He has agreed to divide social welfare income——
I have given the Deputy every latitude. Let us hear the Minister's reply.
With all due respect, the Minister is not very forthcoming.
That is not the fault of the Chair.
We should be more progressive in this area to ensure that people are not put out on the street. Perhaps the Minister would be more forthcoming in his response. It is not an unreasonable request.
On the contrary, I have been particularly forthcoming. Let me remind the Deputy that in the five years they were in office, for very good reasons, I presume, his colleagues were not particularly forthcoming, and were not in any way forthcoming about this. I have said this is something I would like to do but there is no way I can do it until systems are in place through which we can deliver. When we deliver we deliver everywhere throughout the country through a system which is increasingly being computerised. One way of getting ahead of much of this development would be to use the one-stop-shop concept as far as possible. The computerisation of unemployment payments will facilitate this. I have given the Deputy an undertaking that this certainly will be examined. Of course, changes in the existing legislation, which is a matter for the House, will also be required.
I have to say that the time for dealing with Priority Questions is now exhausted. We now proceed to deal with other questions. Question No. 16, please.