Bernard Allen
Question:242 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether applicants for benefits are being informed of their ineligibility without any signature to the letters.
Written Answers. - Departmental Correspondence Signature.
It is my Department's policy that staff issuing letters should sign them in a legible manner and there is a standing instruction to my Department's staff to this effect. Staff were reminded of the instruction following a previous question from the Deputy in June 1991.
In certain areas of my Department, notifications to clients about the outcome of their claims is automatically generated and issued by computer systems and such correspondence does not bear any signature. However, the name and telephone number of the section dealing with the claim is printed on such notifications and staff handling queries from clients are under instruction to identify themselves.
If the Deputy is aware of a particular instance where a client is dissatisfied with the identification procedures used in correspondence from my Department, perhaps he would bring it to my attention and I will have the matter investigated.