Kelly welcomes amendments to DSP application forms

Issued : Thursday 18 June, 2015

I welcome the decision of the Tanaiste, announced to the Labour PLP on Wednesday , that she is to amend the recently revised application forms for a range of DSP payments.

The revised forms had recommended direct payments to bank accounts and was, fairly in my view, being interpreted by postmasters around the country as the DSP

directing payments away from the Post Office network around the country including my own county of Roscommon.

There is no doubt that having Social Welfare payments paid directly into bank accounts has been and will continue to be the choice of many and possibly the

majority of applicants but it should not be as a result of direction from the Department which would result in a disadvantage to post offices.

I am delighted that the Tanaiste has responded to concerns raised by myself and many of my Labour Party colleagues and that she has directed her officials to amend

the forms to address the concerns raised. I look forward now to a speedy implementation of that decision.