Vol. 537 No. 1
16 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans he has to provide extra resources for local community information centres in view of the dependence of these facilities on community employment staff and in view of the so far restrictive criteria of social economy programmes. [15273/01]
The provision of comprehensive information in a clear and simple manner is an essential element in the effective delivery of social welfare services by my Department. My priority is to ensure that people are fully aware of their entitlements and are advised and assisted when the need arises to avail of the schemes and supports available. Information officers are available in all of my Department's local offices and the Department uses a wide range of means to get information or services and changes in those services across to people.
My Department also funds Comhairle, the national support agency established last year for the provision of information, advice and advocacy services to members of the public including people with disabilities. Funding for this year amounts to £9.75 million.
Comhairle supports the provision of information and advice on the broad range of social services via the national network of citizens information centres. These centres are operated by local committees and they vary from centres operating on a full-time basis to centres which open on a part-time basis only. The centres employ staff on either a full-time or part-time basis, sometimes under the community employment or similar scheme, and also rely extensively on volunteers. There are 35 centres throughout the country at present which operate on a full-time basis. The employment of staff and the management of the centres are matters for the management committees.
The citizens information centres provide a very valuable service to people and I would like to see the centres further developed. Comhairle will be examining this issue in the context of its work going forward, including the question of appropriate supports for the centres in the future and the question of continuing support through the community employment and social economy programme will be examined in that context.
My Department also provides grants to a number of other organisations under the scheme of grants for the development and promotion of welfare rights. This year I have provided a grant of £190,000 to the Coolock Community Law Centre for the provision of information to the local community.
I have also approved grants of £112,000 to the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed and almost £89,000 to the ICTU Centres for the Unemployed to assist their welfare rights and information services. I see those organisations also as complementing the work of my own Department in ensuring greater access to relevant information across all sectors.
Question No. 17 answered with Question No. 10.
