Mary Harney
Question:306 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Social Welfare the difference in administrative costs between the various methods of payment of social welfare allowances. [14244/96]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Administrative Costs.
The full administrative costs associated with the different methods of paying social welfare payments are not readily available.
Such administrative costs are made up of: (i) internal costs including staff and overhead costs; (ii) printing and distribution costs of order books and cheques etc., and (iii) payment transaction costs.
Over 80 per cent of payments are delivered through the post office network. The printing, distribution and payment transaction costs in 1995 is estimated at about £39 million.
About 10 per cent of payments are delivered by cheque at an estimated annual cost of £3 million.
In recent years electronic forms of payments, which are more efficient, including fund transfers direct in personal bank and other financial institution accounts have been introduced. About 90,000 people are availing of the fund transfer option at present.