Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the early child care supplement payment to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was stopped. [15352/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Early Child care Supplement (ECS) scheme is under the remit of the office of the Minister for Children (OMC); the administration of the scheme is undertaken by the Department of Social and Family Affairs on an agency basis for the OMC. Under the relevant legislation the ECS payment is automatically made to the person who receives Child Benefit for the child. Child Benefit section routinely contacts customers to ensure that they continue to meet the conditions for receipt of the benefit and are receiving their full entitlement. Since late 2007, an automated process has been introduced that issues a residency certification letter to selected groups of customers on a regular periodic basis.

The person referred to was randomly selected for inclusion in the February issue of the Residency certification letter. This letter was issued to some 5000 customers and required them to confirm their residency and their children's continued residency in Ireland. The completed form was required to be returned with 21 days. As no reply was received from the person concerned, Child Benefit and Early Child care Supplement payments were suspended. A copy of the letter has been re-issued to the person concerned, and on its return payment, including any arrears due, will be re-instated assuming the conditions for Child Benefit/ECS continue to be met.