John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This has been an unmitigated mess. The sickest and most vulnerable people in the State are looking for their entitlements and benefits. They paid into the Social Insurance Fund in the hope that it would kick in as a safety net when most needed, but it failed them. I have heard the apology to people who have been messed up since August. They have been running from pillar to post in an attempt to get money to which they are entitled. There was a major failure in communications between the Department and the recipients. Some community welfare officers around the State were stepping in to give payments, but others were not. They claimed that people were not entitled to payments because they had received part-payments.

Accountability is the key issue here. I want to ask specifically about the consultants who rolled out this IT system. What accountability is there? The Minister did not act when I first identified and raised these issues in August. She has acknowledged that action was not taken until October, when three different things were implemented. Serious questions need to be answered in that respect. The Minister and the Department have said on a number of occasions that anyone who is entitled to money has received money, but that is clearly not the case. Two weeks ago, the Minister went on radio on a Friday to say that people would be paid, but that has not happened. At this moment in time, has everyone received the money to which they are entitled? In the cases of those who are due money from the Department, have underpayments been made? Can we have a figure? People are fearful about overpayments that took place when they received money they were not due. What measures are being put in place to deal with such serious concerns?

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