Dublin People - Painful search for missing cheques

Home

News

Latest News

Painful search for missing cheques

Monday, 24 March 2008

A NORTHSIDE woman who suffers with arthritis of the spine has been forced to make five agonising trips in search of her ‘mislaid’ social welfare cheques.
Angry Marie O’Brien, from Greencastle Park, Coolock, said her disability allowance cheques did not arrive on their allocated date for two consecutive weeks.
Ms O’Brien said she made five trips to the Civic Centre on Bunratty Road to notify them that her cheques had not arrived.
“I’m literally crippled with arthritis of the spine and the walks to the Civic Centre were extremely painful,” Ms O’Brien stated.
“I hardly ever walk anywhere outside the house due to my condition, but I really need the cheques to pay for shopping and my bills.”
Ms O’Brien said she couldn’t understand why her cheques had not arrived.
“I have been getting the allowance for over a year and the cheques usually arrive each Wednesday,” she said.
“When the first cheque did not arrive I paid a visit to the Civic Centre to enquire about it and they told me that the cheque had been issued.”

However, Ms O’Brien said a full week passed without the cheque arriving and that the cheque for the following week had also not arrived.
“I have been back and forth to the civic office four more times about this,” she declared.
“I have to pay my mortgage, gas and electricity bills by the week but what am I supposed to do without my cheques?
“My husband is also on social welfare so we don’t have a lot of money and really depend on these payments.”
A member of staff at the Civic Centre confirmed to Northside People that Ms O’Brien’s cheques had definitely been issued.
He said that if a cheque did not arrive within a specific time, social welfare staff would cancel it and issue a new one.
“This would usually happen within a couple of weeks,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for An Post said that if it was a case that the cheques had gone missing, they would treat it as a very serious incident.
She said that if a customer had concerns about their post they should immediately contact An Post’s customer service department.
The spokeswoman said that while there had been temporary problems with the postal service in the Dublin 3 area due to unforeseen circumstances last month, there was absolutely no problem with the delivery of post in the Coolock area.
“An Post handles up to 3.5 million items on a daily basis so a delay in a single customer’s post would not indicate that there was an overall problem,” the spokeswoman told Northside People.
“But if social welfare cheques have gone missing then we would treat this as a very serious issue but our customer services department can only do something about it if it is pursued personally by the customer.”
Meanwhile, just before going to press, Northside People learned that Ms O’Brien received one of the two cheques in the post last Thursday (March 13).

Outrage as HSE plans to axe patient scheme

Thursday, 08 May 2008

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that it is to alter the Hospital in the Home scheme, which has allowed vulnerable patients at Beaumont Hospital receive vital medical care at...
+ Full Story

Fears for women’s health as test unit closes

Thursday, 08 May 2008

One woman from Drimnagh, Phyllis McHugh (58), who had been seen at the unit following a cervical cancer scare, was shocked to be told patients will no longer receive smear tests at the hospital due...
+ Full Story

Saved by the bell

Thursday, 08 May 2008

As reported in Northside People last week, Baldoyle Boxing Club feared it would have to close down due to the fact it could not make full use of its boxing ring. However, thanks to the generosity...
+ Full Story

Mother fights for speech therapy

Thursday, 08 May 2008

Leslie McCabe lives with her mother Geraldine in Jobstown, Tallaght. Apart from a brief six week group session, she has not had access to regular speech therapy. Ms McCabe, who is a lone parent,...
+ Full Story

Website Poll

Was Bertie right to resign as Taoiseach?

	Yes, the time was right
	Yes, he should have gone sooner
	No, he should have stayed longer

Advertise

Advertise Online with the Dublin People. Great rates available. Click Here

Island Banners

Navigation Menu

Website Poll

Advertise

Private Ads Login