Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason banking transaction contracts in her Department's payments are awarded to the subsidiary of a foreign bank than an Irish controlled bank; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31397/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department has not awarded any payment contracts to any foreign bank or to any subsidiary of a foreign bank.

The Department offers a range of payment options to most customers. This includes:

· payment at a local post office via electronic information transfer(EIT);

· payment through a bank, building society account or certain credit unions via electronic funds transfer (EFT) of the customer's choice, or

· payment by cheque.

Bank of Ireland are the Department's primary bankers. All EFT payment files are routed through them for onwards transmission to other financial institutions in the case of customers who have accounts with banks other than Bank of Ireland. Where social welfare customers choose to do their banking is of course a matter for themselves.