Written answers
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Department of Social Protection
Departmental Banking
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form if possible, a list of the bank accounts used by her Department and separately any agencies within the remit of her Department; the purpose of each bank account and the financial institution the bank account is with; the total amount of any interest charged or bank fees incurred by her Department and separately by each agency in 2011 and anticipated figure for 2012; the percentage of payments issued by her Department and each agency which are issued electronically and if the Department agency has any special arrangement in place on the issue of bank charges and fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44855/12]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department of Social Protection operates 35 bank accounts. 17 of these relate to the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) and 18 relate to the Department’s Vote 37. In addition, the Department has two accounts with the Central Bank for receipt of PRSI and Voted Exchequer Funds. The use of individual bank accounts for specific receipts and payments allows for an improved audit trail, ease of reconciliation, segregation and division of duties and work. The individual bank details as requested by the Deputy are set out below.
DSP Bank Accounts
Description | Institution | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Investment Account | Central Bank | Receipt of PRSI for transfer to SIF No1 A/c |
No 1 A/c | Bank of Ireland | Distribution account |
Central Remittance A/c | Bank of Ireland | General overpayments received centrally |
Internal Remittance A/c | Bank of Ireland | General overpayments received at Local Offices |
Pension Services Recovery A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Pension overpayments |
Deposit Interest A/c | Bank of Ireland | To earn interest on Exchequer funds pending distribution |
Redundancy &Insolvency (R&I) Receipts A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Redundancy & Insolvency recoveries |
R&I Domestic EFT A/c | Bank of Ireland | Domestic Payment of R&I by EFT. |
R&I Foreign EFT A/c | Bank of Ireland | Foreign payment of R&I by EFT |
SIF ISTS EFT A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of certain specified computer systems by EFT |
Domestic Pensions EFT A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of pensions and other schemes by EFT |
Foreign Pensions EFT A/c | Bank of Ireland | Foreign payment of pensions and other schemes by EFT |
Cheque A/c T | Bank of Ireland | Scheme payments from certain specified computer systems |
Cheque A/c U | Bank of Ireland | Scheme payments from certain specified computer systems |
Cheque A/c V | Bank of Ireland | Miscellaneous foreign specified computer payments |
Cheque A/c X | Bank of Ireland | Scheme payments from specified computer system |
Cheque A/c Y | Bank of Ireland | Manual emergency scheme payments |
Cheque A/c Z | Bank of Ireland | Scheme payments from specified computer system |
Description | Institution | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
PMG A/c | Central Bank | Receipt of Exchequer funding |
Back to Work A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of BTW by EFT |
Child Benefit A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of CB by EFT |
Pensions & DA A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of various schemes by EFT |
Vote ISTS EFT A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment from certain specified computer systems by EFT |
Regional Eastern A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional Mid Western A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional Midland A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional North East A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional North West A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional South East A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional Southern A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Regional Western A/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) refunds |
Maintenance Recovery a/c | Bank of Ireland | Receipt account |
Vote EFT Supplier A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of DSP suppliers by EFT |
EMTS (Salaries) A/c | Bank of Ireland | Payment of DSP salaries by EFT |
Vote EFT Account | Bank of Ireland | Receipt of miscellaneous Vote amounts |
General Registry Office A/c | Ulster Bank | Receipt of GRO fees by Credit/Laser card |
Community/Employment A/C | Bank of Ireland | Funding of community employment schemes |
There are three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department, namely the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) comes under the remit of the Department. The Social Welfare Tribunal does not have an individual bank account as expenses are paid directly by the Department. The individual bank details as requested by the Deputy are set out below.
Agency Bank Accounts
Description | Institution | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Current Account | Bank of Ireland | Lodge money and meet monthly outgoings |
Savings Account | Bank of Ireland | Maintain short term monthly cash surpluses |
Various Term Deposit Accounts | Bank of Ireland | Invest surplus cash |
Various Term Deposit Accounts | AIB | Invest surplus cash |
Exchequer Notes | NTMA | Invest surplus cash |
Description | Institution | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
CIB Bank Account | AIB | Business transactions |
Description | Institution | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Standard Commercial Account | Bank of Ireland | Business transactions |
The table below sets out the information requested by the Deputy in relation to fees and charges:
Charges / Fees
2011 Paid | 2012 Estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Social Protection | ||
| Clearing charges* | €97,478 | €92,000 |
| GRO Transaction & Maintenance Charges** | €3,068 | €3,000 |
€100,546 | €95,000 | |
| Agency - Charges/Fees | ||
| Pensions Board*** | €2,400 | €3,300 |
| Citizens Information Board**** | €815 | €990 |
| Office of the Pensions Ombudsman**** | €0 | €25 |
€3,215 | €4,315 |
***The Pensions Board has negotiated a discount in respect of regular bank fees.
****No special arrangements in place.
The proportion of payments issued electronically is as follows:
| Department of Social Protection | 92% |
|---|---|
| Agency - Pensions Board | 96% |
| Agency - Citizens Information Board | 96% |
| Agency - Office of the Pensions Ombudsman | 100% |
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