Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the proposals he has to alter the situation whereby pensioners whose pensions are paid into their bank accounts are paid a week in arrears in order that the last week of their pensions is paid after their deaths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12601/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Customers of my Department are given a number of payment options to choose from when they apply for a social welfare payment. The majority of those who opt for payment of pensions by electronic fund transfer, EFT, do so at the start of their claim and are paid on a regular weekly basis once their claim is put into payment. From November 2004, the payment frequency for pension customers paid by EFT was changed from two weeks in arrears to one week in arrears.

The further alignment of EFT payments with that of other payment methods, including the elimination of the week in arrears payment, is being kept under review by my Department.