Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2012
62. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to problems (details supplied) being experienced by those collecting social welfare payments at Lucan Village Post Office, County Dublin; if she has plans to improve these facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44095/12]
View answer64. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to problems (details supplied) being experienced by those collecting social welfare payments at Lucan Village Post Office, County Dublin; if she has plans to improve these facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44093/12]
View answer75. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to problems (details supplied) being experienced by those collecting social welfare payments at Lucan Village Post Office, County Dublin; if she has plans to improve these facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44094/12]
View answer94. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address the problem that has been causing distress to the many residents of Lucan, County Dublin, regarding the payment of their entitlements in Lucan Village Post Office in view of (details supplied); if she will consider making an unannounced informal visit with this Deputy at any time of her choosing to Lucan Post Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44092/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 64, 75 and 94 together.
The Department is committed to providing a high quality service to its customers and to ensuring that all payments are made available on their due date. The quality of customer service that social welfare recipients receive at post offices is important to the Department and to An Post, which has responsibility for that service. In that regard, I am informed that An Post has taken a number of measures to improve service at Lucan Post Office, including extending opening hours.
The Department actively monitors the numbers of its customers accessing post offices on particular days and from time to time makes arrangements to transfer some payments to alternative collection days to minimise any potential for queuing. The process of changing payment days is complex and must be managed closely to ensure that customer service is not interrupted. The impact of this change is monitored by the Department in consultation with An Post. For example, in March this year some 240 customers who normally received payments at Lucan Post Office on a Friday payday were moved to a Tuesday payday and An Post has given positive feedback on the impact of that change of payment days.
I would like to assure the House that the Department will continue to work closely with An Post to monitor the effectiveness of the remedies put in place up to now and to consider what further scope for improvement is available. I will discuss the Deputy’s suggestions regarding a visit to this office with him but I would like to assure him that I am familiar with the position.
