Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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714. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when payment for accommodation will issue to a provider (details supplied) given that it is several months overdue and they simply cannot continue providing this accommodation unless they receive payment; how the interest compensation for late payments is calculated in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24989/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is prioritising making more timely payments of valid invoices, including providing more resources to address any issues, and outsourcing of elements of the process to speed up processing and to respond to supplier calls.

With regard to the service provider referred to, I am advised by my officials that the outstanding invoices for February and March as referred to in the Details Supplied have been processed with payment expected to issue in the coming fortnight subject to final checks. With regard to the third invoice mentioned, my officials will be engaging with the provider in the coming days to supply the details required to submit a valid invoice and this should ensure that the invoice can be processed and paid without further delay.

I am further advised that payment of invoices by my Department is governed by the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act, 1997 as amended by the Statutory Instrument 580 of 2012, which took effect on 16 March 2013 and transposes EU Directive 2011/7/EU on Combating Late Payment in Commercial Transactions. As such prompt payment interest is payable and has been paid as necessary to providers by my Department.

My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the payments backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.