An essential element of the effective delivery of the social welfare schemes and services for which my Department is responsible is the provision of comprehensive information in a clear and simple manner. The objective of my Department's information policy is to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their entitlements across all social welfare schemes and supports and are kept informed of changes and improvements as they occur.
My Department directs information to citizens on new schemes and services through advertising, using an appropriate mix of national and provincial media, and through information leaflets, fact sheets, posters and direct mailshots. All our schemes and services are publicised on our website at www.welfare.ie Selective use is also made of free-phone telephone services to provide information on new schemes and services and at particular times of the year, such as budget time.
As regards information products, my Department produces a comprehensive range of information booklets covering each social welfare payment. These are widely available from the network of 130 social welfare local offices and branch offices throughout the country as well as from citizen's information centres and many local organisations. Information is also available from information officers located in social welfare local offices who give talks to many groups and organisations and attend exhibitions and seminars.
My Department also works closely with voluntary and community organisations involved in an information giving role. A number of such organisations receive funding on an annual basis towards the cost of providing welfare rights and information services for their target groups.
Consultation with our customers is another route towards understanding their needs and expectations. We use a range of methods such as customer panels, customer surveys and comment cards. The findings of our customer surveys are, in the main, very positive and show a high overall satisfaction rating with the services provided, including information provision.
I should also refer to the work of Comhairle which is the national information agency coming under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for supporting the provision of independent information, advice and other supports to all citizens, including those with disabilities. Comhairle supports a network of some 85 citizen's information centres whose role is to provide information to members of the public on the full range of social services.
As regards upcoming promotional campaigns, my Department is planning later this year to promote the role of our social welfare local offices as key information contact points in disseminating information on social welfare entitlements across all age groups. In addition, we plan to undertake an information campaign designed to promote carer's benefit for insured workers who leave work to care for persons in need of full-time care and attention.
The primary purpose of advertising by my Department is to reach the relevant target audience and I am satisfied that that objective is generally met. In so far as is possible, surveys are undertaken to assess the impact of advertising campaigns in terms of scheme uptake and the results are generally positive. For example, a survey undertaken following an extensive campaign promoting the personal public services number in 2003 year showed an awareness level of 82% compared with a corresponding level of the order of 15% from a 2001 survey.
