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Post Office Network

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021

Tuesday, 7 December 2021

Ceisteanna (386)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

386. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give detailed consideration to the issues outlined by a representative organisation (details supplied) that come within the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60523/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

This Government continues to be committed to maintaining the post office network and for An Post to remain in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer-focused network of post offices in the community. My Department’s support for An Post is equally apparent. We are in the process of renewing the contract for cash payment services with the company for another year. The current agreement allows me, as Minister, to extend the term of the contract on an annual basis up to the end of 2025.

In March, the Government established an interdepartmental group to explore the potential of a One Stop Shop approach for the delivery of Government offline services. The group is co-chaired by the Departments of the Environment, Climate and Communications and Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Department of Social Protection has actively participated in the Group’s discussions and my officials have proposed a number of Social Welfare services which could be delivered by the post office network. A draft report has been prepared and it is expected that the two lead Departments will finalise the report shortly.

While the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications has responsibility for An Post, I also take a keen interest in the post office network given that the company delivers over a quarter of all Social Welfare payments to the Department of Social Protection’s customers, but also as I have responsibility for rural affairs and community development.

Throughout the pandemic, post office staff have delivered this service while working under difficult conditions. My Department and I are very appreciative of the sterling work carried out by those working in post offices which ensured that a full range of services continued to be delivered to the public during the last 20 months.

I am acutely aware of the matters raised by the Irish Postmasters’ Union in their letter to you as my officials and I held meetings with both An Post and with the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) last month to discuss these issues.

The introduction of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), and the need to ensure payments quickly reached the hundreds of thousands of people who lost their employment as a direct result of public health restrictions, necessitated paying the majority of applicants by direct fund transfer into their bank account (EFT). This has been acknowledged by many stakeholders, groups and individual customers, including both the IPU and An Post during my recent meetings with them.

When the Government had to introduce public health restrictions in 2020, all those in receipt of Jobseeker payments were given the option of being paid by EFT. Only where jobseekers requested a change of payment method was their payment changed from the post office to EFT. My Department did not recommend a change of payment method nor actively promote such a change among Jobseekers. The process was driven by customer choice.

This change in payment method also reflects a wider societal shift away from cash and is reflective of a natural year-on-year reduction of post office payments on all Departmental schemes. It should also be noted that one in every five Jobseeker payments were paid via EFT prior to the pandemic.

As the country emerges from the worst of the pandemic and PUP scheme recipients are gradually migrating over to Jobseekers’ payments, my officials are reviewing the Department’s payment policy.

I am very conscious that a balance needs to be struck between the requirement to ensure that appropriate financial controls are in place while also considering the views of Social Welfare customers regarding their payment method choice.

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