The Mid-Western Health Board has threatened to publish a man's name in Stubb's Gazette for non-payment of £13.82p. Legal action was also threatened. A Progressive Democrat councillor, Mr Tim O'Malley, has put down a question on the matter for tomorrow's health board meeting seeking clarification of the policy on collecting arrears.
Mr O'Malley said yesterday that since the incident suppliers had been contacting him to complain of waiting for two or three months for payment for services provided to the health board.
"It seems strange that the health board can use taxpayers' money to pay Stubb's while at the same time they do not expeditiously pay suppliers", he said.
He thought that sending out a letter from Stubb's after six weeks for a paltry sum was ludicrous. It warned that, if the bill was not paid within seven days, there would be legal proceedings and a possible court appearance.
"The man had been sent an invoice from the health board for £13.82p on March 27th.
"I don't know did he put it on the long finger or forget about it for a while, but on May 14th he got a letter from Stubb's threatening him with legal proceedings if he did not pay up within seven days", he added.
Mr O'Malley pointed out that the letter came only six weeks after the invoice, which seemed to be "far too fast" for such drastic action.
"People have a fear of Stubb's because if a judgment is recorded against them in the Gazette they are worried that it will affect their credit rating with banks and building societies", he said.