asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a social welfare information office has been opened in Letterkenny, County Donegal; and, if so, if he will state the opening date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. - Letterkenny Social Welfare Information Office.
15.
An office to provide the public with information and advice concerning all the services for which my Department is responsible was opened in Letterkenny Employment Exchange on 17th October, 1973.
Were extra accommodation and staff provided for this office by the Parliamentary Secretary?
The accommodation and staff are considered adequate. There appeared on 23rd November a Department advertisement in the Donegal Democrat mentioning the lady in charge of the information centre with her address and telephone number.
Was this a new appointment?
The information centre was an innovation.
Was it a new appointment?
I am not sure if it was a new appointment. It would not be someone newly appointed since it would be desirable that it should be somebody familiar with the operation of the Department.
That is what I mean. Is the Parliamentary Secretary saying that he has set up an information office and has asked the staff who were already in the accommodation available to provide a new information service in addition to the already onerous duties they had to perform?
I am not saying that. What I am saying is that a lady clerical officer operates the information centre and that, in her absence either on leave or otherwise, a clerical assistant is available to stand in. The need for those offices is quite considerable and in addition to the one in Letterkenny we have recently opened information offices in Ballina and Carlow and in Cork and Limerick. It is the intention of the Department further to expand these information offices. As the Deputy is aware, this information office was opened on 17th of last month and I can assure him that if in the light of experience either the staff or the accommodation do not prove adequate to meet the requirements the matter will be reviewed.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a number of social welfare offices are overloaded with work and have been for some time? Where is the expansion he talks about? Is it expansion in name only? They have not got extra staff or extra accommodation. Have they got an extra telephone?
That is a separate question.
As I told the Deputy, I can assure him that if, in the light of experience, either staff or accommodation do not prove adequate to meet the requirements of the information centre the matter will be reviewed. The Deputy has so far said nothing that would indicate that that is the case.
There is no expansion.