Vol. 561 No. 6
48 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the cost to her Department in the most recent year of compensation payments made to consumers of the Department's services as a result of maladministration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4925/03]
Regulations made under the Social Welfare Acts provide for payments to be made to claimants, in respect of the loss of purchasing power, where payment of a person's claim is delayed for a period exceeding twelve months, due solely or mainly to circumstances within the control of my Department. Compensation for incidental expenses incurred as a result of the delay are also provided for, within certain limits. The most recent year for which details of such payments have been finalised is 2001. The total amount of payments in that year was €183,892, £144,827. As a result of a change in the interpretation of "late claim" provisions in recent years, decisions in respect of a number of claims, mainly in the pensions area, which had previously been disallowed, were revised. This resulted in arrears of payments being due in respect of the claims, some of these spreading over a number of years. Payments were also made in respect of the loss of purchasing power in these cases.
Question No. 49 answered with Question No. 23.
Question No. 50 answered with Question No. 17.
