Vol. 461 No. 3
63 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Health the number of community welfare officers in Ireland who are using their cars in order to pay people supplementary welfare allowances; the health board area and location of each officer; and if proposals for providing adequate office accommodation for supplementary welfare allowance recipients to receive payment are being made. [1303/96]
Limerick East): There are four community welfare officers issuing payments to supplementary welfare allowance recipients from their cars.
The locations are in the Southern Health Board as follows:
1. Myrtleville and Fountainstown;
2. Desertserges, Newcestown, Crossbarry and Kilumney;
3. Coolea and Kilnamartyra;
4. Dungourney.
In the case of the Myrtleville and Fountainstown locations, alternative arrangements have been made and the board is now transferring these payments to Crosshaven Health Centre or paying them by post.
In the remaining locations, the board is investigating alternative arrangements for these areas such as transferring the payments to other centres within the area or offering a payment service by post.
The Southern Health Board has no proposals to provide office accommodation in any of the areas concerned due to the small number of clients and the short length of time spent by the community welfare officer in the areas.
