Since I first became Minister for Social Welfare I have been constantly seeking ways of improving the quality of service to our customers. I set up a regional management structure in 1991 with the objective of giving a more localised service. In many instances customers can have their inquiries dealt with and their claims processed immediately without the need for inspectors to call to their homes. Although much progress has been made in this area there are still many people who live in remote areas or due to other reasons who find it difficult to make their way to the local social welfare office. In such cases it is necessary to have social welfare inspectors call to their homes.
Inspectors of my Department are trained to be courteous and helpful. When a home visit is necessary it is the usual practice to notify applicants of the intended visit. However, sometimes it is more efficient, in terms of customer service, to make a visit where it was not practicable to issue a prior notification.
Instances can arise where an inspector is visiting a locality and receives claims from that area too late for prior notification of the customers concerned. Inspectors cannot predict the time required for each interview which means that it may not always be possible to notify customers who might be visited in the late afternoon. I would be most reluctant to introduce changes which reduced the flexibility which currently means that the inspector is not forced into rushing one interview so that a notified visit can be fitted in.
There are other instances where discretion must be left to local inspectors as to how they will deal with any particular case from the point of view of control or abuse. This does not mean that any customer who does not receive a notification of intended visit, is suspected of abusing the system. From what I have said earlier, it is clear that there are several reasons of a service nature for not sending prior notifications of intended visits.
Leaflets on my Department's schemes are available in all public offices and are issued free on request. Trained information officers are available to explain matters fully to callers to the local offices. This is especially important in the case of any person making a claim for the first time and who may not be familiar with procedures. My Department also publishes a comprehensive booklet called "A Guide to the Social Welfare Services" which is updated regularly and may be issued to anyone on request.
Any person who makes a claim under any of the schemes administered by my Department receives a decision with the least possible delay along with information regarding his or her right of appeal to the independent social welfare appeals office. I am at present examining ways of giving more comprehensive information to our customers in relation to these decisions. This will enable them to have as full an understanding as possible of their entitlements and of the decision given in each case.
