Dáil debates
Tuesday, 6 November 2018
Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation
4:00 pm
John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, gave a commitment last week that the 20,000 people still owed some of their illness benefit payment, if not all of it, would be paid by Monday. Monday has come and gone and there are still thousands of people without payment. The knock-on effects include people having to borrow money and having to go to the community welfare officer to try to get an emergency payment. It is, as the Minister knows, also causing undue and unfair hardship. People have made their contribution towards this payment. This goes back to an information technology issue and at this stage that is not acceptable anymore. An information technology issue can surely be resolved in nine months. Will the Minister confirm to the House that the issue is finally resolved and that there will be no further hardship caused to the people on illness benefit, which is in itself a hardship payment?
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