Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered reinstating fortnightly payment of some social welfare payments in view of the reintroduction of level 5 restrictions. [1951/21]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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145. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if fortnightly collection of social welfare payments will resume at post offices under current level 5 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2007/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 145 together.

Fortnightly payments were introduced by my Department to assist with social distancing measures in the early period of the current pandemic.

Having listened carefully to the concerns expressed by groups, such as St Vincent De Paul, around the difficulties presented to people, including our most vulnerable, in trying to manage money on a fortnightly basis, I announced that all weekly social welfare payments which had been moved to a fortnightly schedule from the end of March 2020 would be fully restored to being paid weekly with effect from Monday, 2nd November 2020.

It is worth noting now that since the onset of the pandemic, there has been improved public knowledge of how to socially distance and of the need to wear face masks.  All post offices have been equipped with fixed sanitiser units so that customers can sanitise their hands both before and after using the signing pen.  Post offices also have clearly marked signs to assist with social distancing.

I announced recently that throughout the period of the Level 5 restrictions. payments will continue to be paid weekly, but I also recognise that some customers may prefer to collect their payment less frequently and the arrangements we have in place reflect that.

For instance, customers who are receiving a State Pension or Carer’s Allowance from the Department have up to 90 days to collect their payment after it has issued to their nominated Post Office.  And those receiving payments such as Jobseekers Benefit and One Parent Family Payment have up to 20 days to collect their payment at their Post Office.

This measure allows customers to collect payments at a time of their choosing and provides flexibility to customers while allowing for greater adherence to social distancing guidelines.

The press statement announcing this decision  can be seen at

I should mention also that arrangements to make payments directly into a current account (e.g. accounts held with An Post, a bank or a credit union) by electronic fund transfer (EFT), are accommodated at the request of a customer to the Department.And I should mention finally that  the rules around nominating agents to collect social welfare payments at post offices have also been changed to allow for more agent collections, whereby customers can nominate a trusted individual to collect a payment on their behalf.