asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state (i) the number of old age pensioners, blind pensioners, widows, etc., in the Cork City area who did not receive free fuel vouchers for the week ended 31st March, 1956, (ii) the factors which gave rise to the misunderstanding by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, which resulted in the issue of vouchers for only 21 weeks to the pensioner class in the Cork City area, and (iii) what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, to compensate the pensioners in question.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensioners' Free Fuel Vouchers.
The answers to the Deputy's questions are as follows:—(i) The estimated number affected was 5,450. (ii) In Dublin, the local authority has arranged for the issue of each week's vouchers through the post offices on the Friday of the preceding week. In Cork the vouchers are issued through the post offices on Fridays and are exchangeable for fuel in the same week. Unfortunately, the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, when instructing the Dublin post offices to cease the issue of vouchers after the issue on the 24th March, 1956, that is, those exchangeable for fuel in the week ended 31st March, 1956, inadvertently gave the same instructions to Cork. (iii) Arrangements were made with the local authority for a special issue of fuel to the pensioner classes concerned during the week commencing on the 16th April, 1956.