Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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572. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare payments available at Ballylongford post office, County Kerry before its closure; the number that were transferred to a nearby post office or to bank accounts, respectively; the reason no application form was available for persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49113/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The last full month for which figures are available for Ballylongford post office in County Kerry is August 2018 and in that month there were 923 payments made at the outlet. Figures for the number of persons previously paid at Ballylongford who opted to be paid at a different post office or who opted to be paid by electronic fund transfer (EFT) directly into their bank, post office or credit union account – where payment by EFT was an option – are not available.

When a post office is closing, An Post staff inform welfare customers that the office is closing and that their payments will be redirected to the nearest post office. An Post also display notices about the closure in the office. In addition customers are advised to contact the Department should they wish to make alternative arrangements, that is use a different post office or a different method of payment if appropriate.

My Department’s officials also write out to the individual social welfare customers on long-term schemes, e.g. State Pension, who use the post office which is due to close. These customers are informed of the upcoming closure and offered the option of selecting an alternative post office or of using a different method of payment if appropriate.

An Post will automatically redirect payments to the closest post office in the event that social welfare customers have not expressed a preference for an alternative outlet to my Department. Social welfare recipients can at any time contact the Department seeking to change their preferred post office or payment method. It should be noted that it is a requirement for some social welfare schemes that the payment be collected at a post office. However, where alternative payment methods are available customers will be offered the choice.