Rory O'Hanlon
Question:108 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the local authorities which have no arrangement with An Post to collect local authority rents under the household budget scheme. [10045/97]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Rents.
The household budgeting scheme allows for deductions to be taken from certain social welfare payments and paid over on the customer's behalf to a number of utilities, including local authorities. At present the scheme is available to people who receive their payments through the post office network by means of post-draft payment.
Of the 29 county councils and ten corporations in the country all are participating in the scheme apart from Cavan, Kildare, Laois, Monaghan, Offaly and Sligo County Councils and Drogheda and Sligo Corporations. Nineteen of the 49 urban districts councils are participating in the scheme.
In most cases the local authorities not yet participating cover areas where the service to social welfare customers is provided by social welfare branch offices. The necessary level of computerisation has not yet been achieved in the branch offices to allow for household budgeting to be offered to customers. An Post charge each local authority for the deduction service and this allows for the service to be offered free to the customer. There are just over 6,500 deductions made for local authorities under the scheme.