Vol. 413 No. 3
41 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline (1) the works carried out to date to ensure the right of privacy in employment exchanges for social welfare claimants and (2) any further plans he has in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As the Deputy may be aware my Department have in recent years been engaged in a programme of works aimed at providing new offices and replacing or improving existing offices. The main objective of this programme is to improve facilities for the staff and members of the public who use them. In the design of new and refurbished offices particular attention is being paid to the provision of facilities for privacy at new claims reception areas and at points where interviews with applicants are conducted.
Since 1987 ten new offices have been provided all of which include facilities for interviews to be held in private. In addition, nine others have been extensively refurbished in this period and seven more have had improvements to deal specifically with privacy. The number of offices with specific privacy facilities will be progressively increased as part of the ongoing improvement programme. In all cases where particularly sensitive business is being conducted, staff are conscious of the need for privacy and endeavour to ensure that business in these cases is conducted with due regard to the dignity of, and the need for privacy for, the claimant.
