Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost of issuing hard copy payslips to all employees paid by her; the number of staff issued with such payslips; the steps being taken to only issue payslips by electronic means; the timetable involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32688/11]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost of issuing hard copy payslips to all employees of agencies accountable to her; the number of staff issued with such payslips; the steps being taken to only issue payslips by electronic means; the timetable involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32703/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together.

Under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991 an employee is entitled to a clear statement of the gross amount of the wages payable to the employee and the nature and amount of any deductions from that pay. The Department's staff have access to this statement electronically via an online system which is available to them through the Department's internal corporate intranet site.

Since July 2009 hard copy pay slips are not issued to the Department's staff except in a very limited number of situations where employees do not have access to the Department's internal corporate intranet site, for example if they are on extended leave such as long term sick leave or maternity leave. Over 97% of the Department's staff receive information on wages paid and associated deductions solely by electronic means.

Hard copy pay slips are issued to 176 members of staff at present. These represent less than 3% of a total of the Department's total of 6,557 staff. The estimated cost of issuing pay slips to these employees is approximately €5,400 per annum.

The three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department are the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of the Department.

The Social Welfare Tribunal has no employees. Its administration support is provided as required by a designated member of the Department's staff who performs this role as part of their normal duties as an executive officer. That person's salary is paid electronically and they receive information on wages paid and associated deductions solely by electronic means.

The Pensions Board has for the past five years issued payslips to all employees by electronic means only. However, there are two retired members of staff who receive hard copy payslips as they do not have access to email. The annual cost is estimated to be €12.

In the Citizens Information Board (CIB), expenditure of some €1,000 is anticipated in 2011 to provide payslips to 122 current and retired members of staff. The CIB is currently investigating the option of providing payslips by electronic means. However, no decision has been made yet in this regard.

No employee in the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman is issued with a hard copy payslip.