Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons in receipt of rent supplement in 2005, 2006 and 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7697/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The following table shows the number of recipients of rent supplement at the end of the years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person, who is employed for less than 391 consecutive days, in advance of returning to full-time education, loses the back to education allowance, the rent support allowance and the top up grant and that during a three year degree course a person trying to better their employment prospects will lose €64,000; the steps he will take to coordinate the financial support required to implement the commitments in the Programme for Government on the expansion of adult education provision to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7872/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education and Science has a range of programmes for people wishing to return to education which provide supports for people participating in certain education programmes funded by VECs. That Department has overall responsibility for coordination of the expansion of adult education provided for in the Programme for Government.

The back to education allowance (BTEA), administered by my Department, to which the Deputy refers, is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the work force. To qualify for participation in the BTEA scheme an applicant must be, inter alia, in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for at least six months, in the case of people wishing to complete a second level course, or twelve months in the case of people wishing to pursue third level qualifications.

The BTEA scheme was established to assist people who have been out of the workforce for some time and whose opportunities of obtaining employment would be enhanced by participation in the scheme. The requirement to be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for a minimum period has always been a feature of the BTEA scheme and this eligibility criterion is necessary to ensure that limited resources are directed at those most in need. People who are already in employment are not considered to be in the target group for the BTEA scheme.

I am satisfied that, overall, the current arrangements ensure that the scheme continues to support those people who are more distant from the labour market. Any further changes to the scheme will have to be considered in the context of budget improvements and resources available for social welfare improvement generally.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. In general, recipients of rent supplement are primarily dependent on a social welfare or health service executive weekly payment. Persons in full-time education other than back to education allowance participants administered by my Department do not qualify.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 271: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the provisions he is making to accommodate pensioners who collect their pension in post offices that are automated, in view of the introduction of swipe cards instead of pension books; if there is a facility being put in place for the collection of pensions by agents of elderly persons who are unable to collect their pension personally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7916/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It is 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. In this context, the National Payments Implementation Program Advisory Group, under the aegis of the Department of An Taoiseach, monitors the growth in electronic payments, the reduction in cash transactions and any new payment mechanisms which come on the market. My Department is represented on this Group.

The current range of payment options offered by my Department to customers' includes payment at a local post office or to a bank or building society account; or certain credit unions that have been authorised by the banking and credit union regulators. Customers opt for a particular payment method having regard to their own personal circumstances. Currently some 50% of customers receive their payment electronically direct to their Post Office, bank or financial institution. The remaining customers are paid by paper based payment instruments — cheques, post drafts or personal payment order books.

The Department is implementing a three year strategy to change paper based payment instruments to electronic payments at post offices and financial institutions. The programme is being implemented on a phased basis to coincide with book renewal production schedules and as personalised payable order books expire. The replacement of books with swipe cards will have no impact on customers paid at post offices. Customers will simply present their Social Services Card and sign for their payment in the normal way. An Post and the Irish Postmaster's Union (IPU) are committed to assisting customers in the use of cards for collecting their payment. For those customers who cannot collect their payment in person, the Department is putting arrangements in place to allow a nominated person collect their payment using a Social Services card.