It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together.
The introduction of household budget management facilities for social welfare recipients is being planned by my department in conjunction with An Post.
The bulk of social welfare recipients are paid through the post office system and a budget management facility would give greater scope for people to plan and manage their financial affairs.
This facility will be provided as part of the modernisation of post office counter services which will give social welfare recipients a greater choice in the method by which they can receive their social welfare entitlement. My Department are working closely with An Post on these developments.
It is expected that an electronic fund transfer facility will be introduced for child benefit recipients during the first half of 1992. In time this facility will be extended to other groups of recipients.
These developments will provide a choice in the method by which people can receive their social welfare payments and a degree of flexibility which is not possible using existing payment methods. This flexibility will enable those social welfare clients who may wish to do so make full use of existing banking facilities such as household budget planning and, for example, automatic transfer of payments to the ESB.