Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 5

Written Answers - Supplementary Welfare Allowances.

Noel Ahern

Question:

224 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will examine the matter of the computerisation of payments from his Department through the community welfare officers in respect of assistance towards pre-school play groups' attendance; if individual cheques for each pupil must be given in view of the fact that the financial charges amount to 17p per child per week which has the potential to affect the viability of some groups over a period of time. [7589/97]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

In cases where there are social problems and it is beneficial to a family to have a child placed in a crèche for short periods an SWA supplement ranging from £8 to £10 per child per week may be paid in respect of children attending playgroups.

Up to mid last year the processing and payment of supplementary welfare allowance claims, including various supplements, was a normal process. The Department has introduced a new integrated computer system for short-term payment schemes, including supplementary welfare allowance. SWA claims are being computerised on a phased basis and it is planned to complete this by mid-1998.

The introduction of the new system has brought a range of benefits for the customers, the health boards and the Department.

In the case of SWA, the system replaces the manual system which involved keeping manual records of the claims made, hand-writing of cheques and the manual preparation of accounts. The system provides for a computerised record of the claim, and payments and accounts are produced automatically by the system.

The new system provides a higher level of control and improved audit trail over SWA payments which was not previously possible. By using the RSI number as the key identifier for SWA claims it is possible to cross-check these claims with other short-term payment schemes to avoid duplication of payments.

The new system affords a level of flexibility in the method and frequency of payments. Payments can be made by cheque, at post offices or by electronic fund transfer to a bank or building society. SWA payments for supplements, such as créche or rent and mortgage interest payments, can be made at weekly or monthly intervals to suit the customer's needs.

Payments are issued to the individual customer. The customer may arrange for his-her payment to be made to an agent or a nominated person. While a person may act as an agent or nominee for a number of customers, it is not possible to combine the payments of a number of customers into a single payment. Payments are normally made weekly but arrangements can be made to make crèche supplement payments at monthly intervals, which would help reduce the bank costs. Ultimately bank charges on their accounts are a matter for the créches.