asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for inspections of insurance cards at six-monthly intervals to enforce the stamping of cards and to avoid loss of benefit to insured persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Insurance Card Stamping.
22.
Frequent inspection of all employers would not be justified as the great majority duly fulfil their obligations under the Social Welfare Acts. The present system of inspection concentrates most attention on those employers whose past record in the matter of stamping their employees' social insurance cards has been unsatisfactory. I do not think that any intensification of such inspection would be warranted. I may add that, as the Deputy is no doubt aware, recent amendments to the Acts and regulations prevent loss of benefit to insured persons whose social insurance cards, through no fault of theirs, are left unstamped.
Surely the Minister will agree that the serious problems and hardships arising out of non-payment of benefit would never arise if there were regular inspection of insurance cards? Is there not a compelling case for regular inspection to avoid imposing hardship on people? There is legislation now for guaranteeing benefits but, as the Minister well knows, the problem is still with us.
No. The problem is not with us but that does not mean that we are not as concerned or, indeed, more concerned, than ever, that a person should stamp cards. Ninety-five per cent of employers do stamp cards regularly and duly but there is a small percentage of people that we need to get after and the Department do that. We do not like to hound people unnecessarily but in cases of liquidation, where persons go out of business or emigrate and are not available, when it is not possible to collect, the employees are not at the loss of benefit.
Will the Minister enlighten me as to whether there is an obligation on the officers of his Department to inspect cards?
They do a spot check, which I think is much better than a regular check.
The remaining Questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.