Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department will reimburse those pensioners who currently lose a week's money when they sign up for direct debit payments; and if provision will be made in budget 2006 for a once-off payment to facilitate this reimbursement. [22836/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides people receiving social welfare payments with a range of payment options, including electronic fund transfer, EFT. The majority of those who opt for this facility do so at the start of their claim and are paid on a regular weekly basis once their claim is put into payment. When EFT was introduced, payments were made four weeks in arrears. In 2000, the payment frequency was reduced to two weeks in areas and it was further reduced to one week in arrears in November 2004. The issue of the further alignment of EFT payments with that of other payment methods, including the elimination of the week in arrears payment, is being addressed and the necessary arrangements will be made as soon as possible.