David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the Reach agency has considered the question of cards for social welfare and related purposes; if so, the recommendations or proposals which were made in this matter; and when these recommendations were first made. [13975/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The development of a public service card was one of a number of objectives set for the Reach agency at the launch of the Reach initiative in 1999 and 2000. The objectives included the establishment and use of the personal public service, PPS, number as the common customer identifier and the development and acceptance of the public service card as the citizen's key to services.

Reach pursued the public service card objective through a programme of research and analysis of international best practice in the use of cards and, following preliminary consultations with Government Departments, developed a rationale for furthering the development and deployment of a public service card in the Irish public services context. The rationale provided foundation material for the Government approval in 2004 to develop the current SAFE initiative, which is jointly managed by client identity services in my Department and the Department of Finance.

During this period, the Reach agency was also mandated to develop and implement the public services broker. The refocusing of Reach's priorities in that time facilitated the development of the complex and significant broker project, the first phase of which is to go live shortly. Reach continues to work with client identity services to build and extend identity services to support access to services through the public services broker.

Reach has participated in the steering group established to progress the SAFE initiative, which is developing a set of business principles to form a standard for a public service card. The SAFE initiative has recently completed the initial phase of its work and proposals will shortly be prepared for Government relating to this which will also address future phases of work, including convergence issues and a communication and consultation programme.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of the existing social service cards which were issued in each of the years 1992 to date; and when the decision to issue such cards was first proposed and agreed with the Department of Finance. [13976/05]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the types of function for which the existing social service cards are currently used or have been used in earlier years, either for his Department purposes, for the purposes of payment of benefit by An Post or for any other purpose formally supported by State agencies and organisations such as voting; and if he will give an indication of the levels of each type of usage in each year since they were first issued. [13977/05]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the consultations which have occurred with other Government Departments and other State agencies on the types of usage that might be appropriate for the existing social service cards or equivalent cards, in each of the years 1992 to date. [13978/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 to 292, inclusive, together.

In 1991, responsibility for the allocation of RSI numbers, which were subsequently renamed personal public service, PPS, numbers in 1998, transferred from the Revenue Commissioners to my Department. In 1991, it was proposed by my Department and agreed with the Department of Finance to replace the cardboard registration card with the more modern social services card. This card, which shows the client's name and PPS number on the front, has a magnetic stripe on the back which contains the PPS number, sex and date of birth of the client.

The number of social services cards issued in each year since 1992 is set out in appendix 1. On its introduction it was intended that the card would be used as a permanent and durable record of a person's PPS number. The card was also to provide customers with secure access to electronic information transfer, EIT, payments via the post office network. These are the only uses to which the card has been put since its introduction. The social services card does not formally support any other uses.

The number of customers using the social services card for the EIT method of payment is set out in appendix 2. The yearly numbers of EIT transactions made using the social services card is set out in appendix 3. No discussions with other Government Departments have taken place specifically on the types of usage that might be appropriate for the social services card since 1992. However, discussions have taken place on the more substantive issue of an integrated approach to public service delivery, including the role a card could play as a means to facilitate this integration.

Work has also taken place on the development of the legal and operational basis for the unique identifier, the PPS number, and on the progression of the initiative in the context of the e-government modernisation programme. In June 2004, the Government approved proposals for the development of a framework for public service cards using the personal public service, PPS, number as a unique identifier. An interdepartmental group is currently working on developing this framework, which is known as SAFE — standard authentication framework environment. The report on its first phase of work is currently being prepared.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the payment of old age pensions by means of pension books at post offices is to be replaced by electronic funds transfers to banks. [14023/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in the event of old age pension books being replaced by electronic funds transfers, this facility will be made available at the post offices. [14024/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 294 together.

Current payment options for old age pensions include payment at post offices by means of a pension order book and direct payment to customers' bank, building society or post office savings accounts. My objective is to ensure that a range of payment options is available to customers and that service is continually improved by providing access to the wide range of payment options and new services and facilities now available.

I recently announced a comprehensive review of my Department's payment systems. The purpose of the review is to identify a system for the future that will respond most effectively to the individual needs of customers and deliver a service that is flexible and cost effective. This review will have regard to current trends and offerings in the financial services sector and the rapid advances in card based technologies. It will also take account of Government policy to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a world class payments environment in Ireland.

The increased use of electronic systems and card based technologies opens up possibilities for improved service and greater efficiency in payment delivery generally in the future. I recently met with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, who is the Minister responsible for An Post, to discuss these possibilities and their future role in payment delivery in post offices.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to reform the rent allowance system, in particular contacts with other Government Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14125/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to assist an eligible person who is unable to provide for his or her accommodation costs from his or her own resources and who does not have accommodation available from any other source.

A significant number of people have come to rely on rent supplements on a long-term basis over the years. In July 2004, the Government announced a new initiative to meet the long-term housing needs of rent supplement recipients. The new system will see local authorities assume responsibility for meeting long-term housing assistance needs, including the needs of those people on rent supplements for 18 months or longer. These needs will be met through a range of approaches, including the traditional range of social housing options, the voluntary housing sector and, in particular, a new public private partnership type rental accommodation scheme. A total of €19 million has been transferred from my Department's Vote to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Vote this year to help finance this initiative.

The new arrangements are currently being implemented in seven local authorities. My Department and the Health Service Executive are actively assisting the local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in this process. That Department has appointed programme managers to assist the lead authorities with the implementation of the new arrangements. Thereafter, these managers will be available to support other authorities during the implementation period. Regional and local implementation groups in the seven lead authority areas have been established to ensure effective ongoing liaison and co-operation locally between housing authorities, Health Service Executive areas and other agencies.

It is expected that the lead local authorities will transfer the first eligible rent supplement recipients to the rental accommodation scheme in May 2005. The new arrangements will be initiated in all local authority areas by the end of 2005. Almost 30,000 households who have been in receipt of a rent supplement payment for 18 months or more and are likely to be supported under the new rental assistance arrangements in due course.

The aim of the new system is to minimise ongoing dependence on rent supplement. The objective is to progress to a situation where suitable long-term accommodation is available for all who need it and where the rent supplement scheme is not necessary other than for short-term support. This is planned to be achieved within a period of three years from commencement of the new arrangements in each local authority and, in any event, no later than September 2008. Overall, the new rental assistance arrangements represent a major step forward in supporting people with long-term housing needs. All the relevant agencies are co-operating actively to make the system work successfully.

The supplementary welfare allowance rent supplement scheme will continue to provide short-term income support for eligible people who are unable to meet their immediate accommodation needs through their own resources. The role, efficiency and effectiveness of this supplement is being considered in the context of a comprehensive evaluation of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme being carried out by my Department this year as part of its programme of expenditure reviews.