Vol. 459 No. 3
47 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the community welfare office in Myrtleville, County Cork, is forced to operate from the back of a car due to the absence of premises; the plans, if any, there are to provide a suitable premises in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18160/95]
, Limerick East): Myrtleville and Fountainstown are two small villages in the Kinsale dispensary district of South Cork. The Southern Health Board has no official premises or the use of any premises in either of these two areas. Of the 23 people receiving supplementary welfare allowance in these areas, 14 opted to have payments made to them by post and the remaining nine (four in Myrtleville and five in Fountainstown) opted to have their SWA collected on a weekly basis from the local community welfare officer.
The health board recognises that the existing arrangements for people not being paid by post are unsatisfactory. Accordingly, they have written to the recipients offering them a choice of four different locations for collection of SWA i.e. Carrigaline health centre, Crosshaven health centre, Ballyfeard health centre and Minane Bridge community centre.
Pending a response from the recipients the board has reluctantly continued to operate the existing service as a number of the recipients do not have private transport and public transport is not available in all areas. I hope that this clarifies the position for the Deputy and I will keep her informed of developments.
