Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2021
73. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if social welfare payments will continue to be electronically transferred following Covid-19 for certain payments to reduce the need for persons to attend post and social welfare offices. [26231/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department provides two main payment method options for people in receipt of social welfare. They can be paid in cash at the post office or they can have their payment made directly into their account in either a bank, in An Post or in a credit union. The Department intends, where possible, to continue to offer people the choice of being paid in cash at the post office or directly into an account in a financial institution
With the co-operation of An Post, a number of measures were introduced to support those collecting their social welfare payments at post offices over the last year. These changes helped reduce the movement of people, including medically vulnerable individuals, and assisted them in complying with social distancing measures designed to combat the spread of Covid-19.
One of the Covid-19 measures introduced was to give all welfare claimants – including jobseekers - the option to switch their payment method from the post office to payment into their bank account by electronic fund transfer (or EFT). Claimants had to apply to Departmental offices to request this change.
Before the pandemic, the default payment option for those in receipt of a jobseeker payment was collection at a post office. Payment by this method offers the Department additional control checks which can assist in the prevention of Social Welfare fraud.
The Department will continue to offer choice of payment method to its customers. However, no decision has yet been taken on whether to permanently adopt the EFT payment option for those receiving jobseeker payments.
