asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of one-stop-shops in operation throughout the country where there is a community welfare officer available to administer the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
Written Answers. - Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.
163.
The one-stop-shop concept or variations of it are now operating in a large number of locations countrywide. Only certain facets of the one-stop-shop model can be implemented in many areas, due to the lack of information technology, the absence of suitable accommodation and the current locations of social welfare officers (SWO) and community welfare officers (CWO) vis-á-vis the Department's employment exchange/ branch office network.
The purpose of the one-stop-shop concept is to provide one point of contact for clients who need to avail of income maintenance and related services, to deliver these services in a co-ordinated and cost effective manner and to eliminate duplication of effort at local level and effect greater control over social welfare payment systems.
The one-stop-shop concept has initially been applied to unemployment assistance so as to reduce delays in the time taken to process claims. With the introduction of the one-stop-shop concept, increased communication and liaison was established between the social welfare officers, the community welfare officers and the local exchange manager which had not existed heretofore. The social welfare officers now operates clinics on a regular basis and clients can have their claims investigated immediately on referral from the local exchange. The community welfare officers operate a clinic which complements the service provided by the social welfare officers where clients who may have additional requirements can have their needs met. While it has not been possible as yet to have all of the officials housed within the same building this improved level of co-operation which includes sharing of local information and resources eliminates duplication of investigations by the community welfare officers and social welfare officers and reduces the volume of work involved in recouping social welfare allowance payments from the unemployment assistance vote. It has also resulted in more effective control of our systems.
It is my objective, as accommodation and resources permit, to provide an integrated local service throughout the country for the benefit of social welfare applicants and beneficiaries, and under one roof.