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Employment Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 October 2021

Tuesday, 12 October 2021

Questions (340)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

340. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that are being taken to address the staffing shortages in the Ballymun Intreo office (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49652/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Ballymun Intreo Centre is open to walk-in customers from 09:15-13:00 Monday to Friday. It remains open to customers to contact the Intreo Centre in person or by post at Main Street, Ballymun, Dublin 9, D09 K8W2.

Alternatively, customers can contact the Intreo Centre by phone or email for the following services:

Service

Phone

Email

Payments

(01) 894 0000

Ballymun@welfare.ie

Community Welfare Service

(01) 894 0000

CWSBallymun@welfare.ie

Activation

(01) 894 0000

ActivationBallymun@welfare.ie

The operational hours for the phone lines listed above operate from 09:15-17:00 Monday to Friday.

Customers wishing to apply for a Jobseeker’s payment also have the option of applying online at www.MyWelfare.ie .

There are currently 26 staff working in Payments, Community Welfare Services and Activation functions in the Ballymun Intreo Centre.

Specific staff have been assigned to monitoring and answering communications that come through the mailboxes listed above as this method of customer contact has become increasingly popular since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to help with the cost of heating during the winter months. It is paid to people who are receiving certain long-term social welfare payments. A person who is in receipt of a Fuel Allowance does not need to reapply if their circumstances remain unchanged and they continue to receive the same social welfare payment. If a person is applying for Fuel Allowance for the first time, they must submit an application. This application is then assessed by my officials and the applicant is advised of the outcome.

At present there are currently 5 unprocessed Fuel Allowance applications in the Payments area and 11 unprocessed applications with the Community Welfare Service which my officials advise will be processed this week.

If the Deputy can provide details of specific cases where Fuel Allowance applications have been delayed, my officials can investigate these cases further.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

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