Normal mail deliveries between Ireland and other postal administrations have been suspended for the duration of the postal disruption.
Once it became clear that United Kingdom pension and other payments to persons resident in this country would be affected by the industrial dispute in An Post, the Department of Social Welfare contacted the Department of Social Security in Newcastle upon Tyne and in Belfast to advise them of the consequences of the dispute and to offer whatever assistance was considered appropriate to their claimants who are resident in Ireland.
Following discussions between the Department of Social Welfare and An Post it was agreed that payments which are normally mailed from Newcastle upon Tyne and Belfast to addressees in Ireland can be placed in the mail in Dublin. Arrangements to have cheques brought from Newcastle upon Tyne and Belfast were completed on 12 May.
This morning some 5,000 cheque payments for Irish residents were received from Newcastle upon Tyne and a further 200 were received from Belfast. These cover the period from 28 April. The cheques relate to such schemes as old age pensions, retirement pensions, widows benefit, severe disablement allowances, sickness benefit, invalidity benefit, maternity benefit, industrial injuries and industrial death benefit payments.
An Post have confirmed that these payments will be processed and delivered in the same manner as payments generated in the Department of Social Welfare. This means that United Kingdom payments to persons living in Dublin postal districts 3 to 24 and the rest of the country should be received through the post by next Monday. The unions in An Post are aware of and are co-operating with this scheme.
Payments for people living in Dublin postal districts 1 and 2 can be collected tomorrow at a special collection centre which the Department already operate for their own clients at Oisin House, Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
These arrangements are in line with those which apply to cheque payments from the Department of Social Welfare. It is my hope that these arrangements will continue in place until the postal dispute is resolved.
The Department of Social Welfare have not been approached by any other social security administration in relation to payments made through the post to persons who are resident here.
Deputies will understand that it would not be practicable to quickly introduce arrangements for all overseas payments to residents along the lines I have already outlined. However, I would like to take this opportunity to remind persons who usually receive a social security payment through the post from any other country and who are worrying that their payments may be delayed that they may be entitled to a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. They can attend their local health board office where community welfare officers are available to assist them.
I would also like to record my appreciation for the efforts made by staff in An Post, the Department of Social Welfare and in the United Kingdom Ministries to minimise the effects of the dispute on old and sick people. Their co-operation and the co-operation extended by the unions in An Post is very welcome in this matter.
