Séamus Hughes
Question:174 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health if retired employees of health boards can arrange for their pension entitlements to be paid directly by bank transfer into their bank account rather than by cheque.
Written Answers. - Pension Entitlements.
The methods of payment of pension entitlements made available to retired employees of health boards are a matter for each individual health board.
The Midland Health Board, the NorthWestern Health Board, the Southern Health Board, and the South-Eastern Health Board have facilities in place which allow for retired employees to opt to receive their pension entitlements by bank transfer. The Eastern Health Board has such a facility in place for retired employees receiving payment on a monthly or fortnightly basis. Bank time scheduling restrictions have meant that the Eastern Health Board is not yet in a position to offer this facility to retired employees paid on a weekly basis. The Mid-Western Health Board does not have a bank transfer option generally available for their retired employees at present but it is the board's intention to offer such an option from early next year. The North-Eastern Health Board does not have a bank transfer option available at present for retired employees but the board intends making such an option available to their retired employees by early next year through the introduction of the Pay Path System. The Western Health Board does not operate a Pay Path System. Retired employees in receipt of a pension are paid on a current basis. Arrangements are made by the board with pensioners who may take long vacations abroad from time to time to have their cheques paid into their bank accounts.