asked the Minister for Social Welfare (a) the number of civil servants employed in his Department in each of the years 1966 to 1971 and in January 1972; (b) if he is aware of the delay in contacting the Department by telephone; and (c) if it is his intention to increase the number of civil servants in the Department to ensure a better service for the public and public representatives.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Department Personnel.
26.
The number of civil servants employed in my Department in October, 1966, following the transfer of the employment exchanges to the Department of Labour, was 1,272 and the number employed in January each year since then was: 1967, 1,305: 1968, 1,358: 1969, 1,325: 1970, 1,361: 1971, 1,457: 1972, 1,524.
The staffing position is kept under constant review and every effort is made to ensure that staffing is at all times adequate. Since the telephone facilities were substantially improved last year I am not aware of delay in contacting my Department by telephone. If, however, the Deputy, is aware of particular instances where delay has occurred, I should be glad to have the details from him so that I may take the matter up with the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary is aware of the delay and frustration experienced by Deputies in trying to contact the Department of Social Welfare? Frequently it is necessary to phone for one or two hours before getting the Department. Further, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in country areas unfortunate people who may not get their cheques on Friday often have to phone for as long as three hours from Mullingar and other places? The Parliamentary Secretary must be aware of this because complaints have been made from the Fine Gael rooms on numerous occasions both to the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and to his Department. We know the officials are not to blame. There are not enough lines but it is unfair that public representatives, or the public, should have to wait for up to three hours before they can contact the Department.
I have not received any complaints directly. Since last year we have nine extra lines and there should not be any complaints now.
I want to assure the the Parliamentary Secretary that from complaints I have got from my party and from personal experience I know it is absolutely impossible to get in touch with the Department of Social Welfare. Extra telephone facilities are needed. The Parliamentary Secretary cannot have evidence of the calls which have failed to get through to his Department. As far as I can see this lack of proper telephone facilities, so far as the Department are concerned, is affecting all areas throughout the country. If extra staff and lines are required that matter should be attended to. The queries to the Parliamentary Secretary's Department are on behalf of people who, if they do not get their cheques, have nothing except perhaps £2 home assistance.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary get somebody to monitor the service; in other words, to make calls to the Department at intervals and thus find out what is the situation?
I have tried it out myself and I had no trouble.
This equipment was supposed to be installed in May, 1972. Has it been installed?
It was installed in May, 1971 and there are now nine lines into the Department.