Public Service Oversight Committee to consider immigrants’ access to social welfare

The difficulties facing immigrants in accessing social protection payments will be considered by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions tomorrow when it meets with Crosscare.

24 February 2015

Joe O’Brien of Crosscare, the social care agency of the Dublin Archdiocese, will address the Committee.

The recently published second Person or Number? Report by a number of NGOs including Crosscare examines immigrants’ access to Social Protection services. It is based on a random thirty-five case sample of migrants who access Department’s services and an online survey with thirty-seven managers of citizen information services nationally.

Chairman of the Committee Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD says: “Tomorrow’s meeting will provide a valuable opportunity to assess some of the difficulties being experienced by immigrants in accessing social protection services. The report points to a number of shortcomings in the Department of Social Protection and we look forward to engaging with Mr O’Brien in detail on these issues and how they impact on service delivery. We will also consider what practical policy changes can ensure better customer service by Department staff in their dealings with immigrants.”

The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 25 February in Committee Room 3, LH 2000 at 4 pm, commencing in private session.

Public proceedings are anticipated to start at 4:15 pm and can be viewed online here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

Ends/

For media enquiries contact:

Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926

Committee Membership

Deputies:
Richard Boyd-Barrett, Independent
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Michael Healy-Rae, Independent
Seamus Kirk, Fianna Fáil
Michael P. Kitt, Fianna Fáil
Pádraig MacLochlainn (Chairman), Sinn Féin
Helen McEntee, Fine Gael
Michelle Mulherin, Fine Gael
Derek Nolan (Vice-Chair), Labour
Patrick O'Donovan, Fine Gael
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Sean Kenny, Labour
John Halligan, Independent
Jack Wall, Labour

Senators:
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Sinn Féin
Jimmy Harte, Labour
Tony Mulcahy, Fine Gael
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour
Ned O'Sullivan, Fianna Fáil