Vol. 443 No. 7
32 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the proposals, if any, he has to introduce a new payments system to ensure that social welfare recipients in receipt of mainline payments with an entitlement to rent allowance or mortgage interest subsidy can have both payments made by one office.
My Department is currently developing a new computerised system which will integrate all short term payments including supplementary welfare allowance. This new system will support a range of modern payment methods and will facilitate the co-ordination of multiple payments, such as those referred to by the Deputy. It is planned to introduce it on a pilot basis in the health boards in mid 1995, and to have it fully implemented in all boards during 1996.
Under the present system, in order to minimise inconvenience for clients who must attend at health centres for payment of rent or mortgage supplements, monthly payment has been introduced, where possible, by health boards. In a number of areas, rent or mortgage payments are posted to clients. These initiatives, which continue to be developed, have reduced significantly the frequency of attendance at health centres for the clients involved.
