Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount of money spent on social insurance and social assistance to date in 2007; the expected amount for the full year in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30548/07]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number and amount of payments attributed to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30549/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 378 together.

At the end of September, the latest month for which full expenditure data is available, the amount spent on social insurance based income supports was €5,318 million. The figure for social assistance payments was €5,975 million. The corresponding amounts for the full year in 2007 are expected to be €7,202 million and €8,219 million, respectively.

The total number of scheme payments made to the end of September, 2007 is 48.1 million.

My Department makes in excess of 67 million payment transactions annually to some 1.7 million customers covering all payment schemes. A range of payment methods are used including:

i.by cheque by post to the customer's address;

ii.by Electronic Information Transfer (EIT) by means of swipe card at a Post Office nominated by the customer,

iii.by means of a book of Personalised Payable Orders (PPO) also at a Post Office nominated by the customer or

iv.by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) direct to the customer's account in a financial institution.