Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Nov 1993

Vol. 436 No. 2

Written Answers. - Back to School Grants Delay.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

62 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social Welfare the investigations, if any, he has carried out to determine the reasons for the unacceptable delays in the making of back to school grants in the Eastern Health Board area, which caused considerable inconvenience and hardship; if, in view of the fact that similar delays were experienced in 1992, he will give the reason for his failure to ensure that the Eastern Health Board had adequate staff and resources to make the payments on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

A sum of £10 million was provided in the 1993 Estimates for the back to school clothing and footwear scheme of which £9.5 million was paid over to the health boards by the beginning of July.

The scheme was brought forward to 1 June this year to minimise delays in payment. The scheme commenced in July 1992.

In May of this year, in the scheme circular the Department instructed the health boards to ensure that the majority of payments were made by end July.

The bulk of payments were made in all boards (except the Eastern Health Board) by the end of July-mid August.

Arising from problems which arose this year in the administration of the back to school clothing and footwear scheme in the Eastern Health Board area which led to serious delays in making these payments, I have been in touch with the Eastern Health Board in relation to the circumstances which gave rise to the delay with a view to ensuring that such delays do not occur in the future.

The Eastern Health Board has advised that a special team has been set up to examine and report on:—

—The organisation and management of the payment of the back to school allowances,

—The factors which led to the failure to issue payments in due time in 1993,

—Future requirements for the efficient organisation and management of this scheme.

The scheme is administered in conjunction with the supplementary welfare allowance scheme and is taken into account in allocating resources for the scheme.