Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
493. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a person (details supplied) who is awaiting a substantial payment for housing Ukrainian families will receive this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19596/23]
View answerMy Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority.
With regard to the service provider mentioned, I am advised by my officials that all of the invoices referred to in the Details Supplied have now been processed with payment expected to issue shortly pending final checks.
The delay in payment is due to the large volume of invoices being received by my Department. Additional resources have been assigned within my Department as well as process improvements and the outsourcing of some elements of the process. The volume of payments issuing is steadily growing. My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.
