Tuesday, 8 Nov 2022

Written Answers Nos. 705-723

Public Transport

Questions (705)

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

705. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who has been unsuccessful in their application for free travel, despite being inhibited by multiple sclerosis, MS, requiring a walking aid, and despite being in receipt of a pension, and whose application been declined due to their being under 66 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55203/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

To qualify for Free Travel, a person who is under 66 years of age must be in receipt of a qualifying payment. The relevant qualifying payments are Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension (or a person who is blind or severely visually impaired and satisfies the medical conditions for a blind pension, or registered with the NCBI), Disability Allowance, Incapacity Supplement with Disablement Pension for at least 12 months, Carer’s Allowance, or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.

Based on the information available, the person concerned is not currently in receipt of a qualifying payment and is therefore ineligible for Free Travel at this time.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the applicant's own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Entitlement is determined based on the circumstances of each individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and the resources of the applicant.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (706)

Charles Flanagan

Question:

706. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if an elderly couple (details supplied) will qualify for the fuel allowance payment following the changes in budget 2023; if so, the way that they can apply for the fuel allowance payment; when the first payment under the new income thresholds is expected to be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55226/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April. One of the conditions for receipt of fuel allowance is that a person must satisfy a means test.

The person concerned applied for Fuel allowance on 7 October 2022. Following a means assessment, it was determined that the household means were €687.68 which exceeded the permissible weekly means of €610.30 for the household. The application was disallowed, and the person concerned was notified in writing.

From January 2023, there will be a new means threshold for people aged 70 and over, of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.

The arrangements for applications under the new Fuel Allowance criteria will be announced later in the year.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (707, 729)

Colm Burke

Question:

707. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to increasing the allowances available under the household benefits package to assist those who cannot qualify for fuel allowance due to the cost-of-living crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55270/22]

Joan Collins

Question:

729. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that the fuel portion of the household benefits package has not increased at all in budget 2023, to ensure that recipients of same would not be at risk of fuel poverty this winter. [55545/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 729 together.

The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 500,000 customers. People over the age of 70 receive the Household Benefits Package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.

There has been no recent increase to the gas/electricity element of the HHB package as the limited resources available to the Department have instead been targeted at increases to core Social Welfare payments and also to more targeted payments such as the Fuel Allowance payment.

Any decision to enhance the HHB package would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

The Government is very aware of the increased cost of living and in Budget 2023 have provided an unprecedented response that aims to ease the financial pressure on households throughout the State.

As part of the Government's cost of living measures in Budget 2023, an Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment was paid to Social Protection recipients in October.

In November, a €200 Lump Sum Payment will be paid to pensioners and people with a disability receiving the Living Alone Allowance, a €500 Cost of Living Payment will be paid to people receiving Carer’s Support Grant and a €500 Cost of Living Disability Support Grant will be paid to people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension.

In December, a Christmas Bonus Double Payment will be paid to 1.3 million Social Protection recipients including pensioners, carers & people with disabilities.

From January 2023, the maximum rate of core Social Welfare rates will be increased. There will be proportionate increases for qualified adults and for people getting a reduced rate. The weekly full rate for a qualified child will increase to €42 for children under 12 years of age and to €50 for children aged 12 years and over

The enhanced electricity credit of €600 is another important Government measure announced in the Budget. This will also benefit all households. The first €200 will be applied to electricity bills in November.

The Government will continue to monitor the cost-of-living situation closely.

I would also like to highlight that the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (708)

Colm Burke

Question:

708. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost-of-living measures available to those living in congregated settings, in which all are over 70 years, to assist them with their energy bills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55271/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Following an announcement as part of Budget 2023, the Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €447 million in 2023 in relation to the increase of €12 per week for those on pension related payments.

In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period.

Recipients of State Pensions - both Contributory and Non-Contributory - were eligible for the Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment paid last month, as well as the Christmas Bonus in December.

Other targeted payments to help with increased costs which those receiving a State Pension may be eligible for are a €500 payment to carers and a €400 payment to those in receipt of the Fuel Allowance.

A further measure to assist pensioners with energy costs which I announced as part of the Social Protection Budget Package is a new means test for Fuel Allowance for people aged over 70. This change will mean that a single person aged over 70 can have income of up to €500 per week and qualify for fuel allowance, while a couple can have income of up to €1,000 per week.

Fuel allowance is generally not payable to those living in large communities with sharing heating facilities, such as nursing homes, but individual circumstances can differ depending on nature of the accommodation and heating arrangements.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (709)

Colm Burke

Question:

709. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that her Department will give serious consideration to recognising Covid-19 as an occupational disease in health and social care and in domiciliary assistance and, in a pandemic context, in sectors where there is an outbreak in activities with proven risk of infection as advocated by the EU Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55272/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—

(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and

(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.

My Department is aware of the work of the EU Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work (ACSH) regarding the recognition of COVID-19 as an occupational disease. Under the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027, the European Commission committed to updating their Recommendations on Occupational Diseases by the end of this year in order to include COVID-19. The Department is monitoring the European Commission's work and recommendations in this regard.

My Department reviews its supports and schemes regularly to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy, legislative and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (710)

Joe Flaherty

Question:

710. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to include those on the jobs initiative scheme to be eligible for fuel allowance given that their income is linked to social welfare rates. [55273/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.

The Job Initiative Scheme provided full-time employment for people 35 years of age or over who had been unemployed for 5 years or more. Since November 2004, there has been no recruitment to the Scheme. Since January 2004, participants on the Job Initiative Scheme cannot retain their entitlement to Fuel Allowance while participating on the scheme. This decision was taken as the minimum rate of payment to participants on the scheme was significantly higher than the rate of qualifying Social Welfare payments.

There are no plans to allow participants on the Job Initiative Scheme to access the Fuel Allowance scheme. Any decision to provide participants on the Job Initiative Scheme with access to the Fuel Allowance payment would change the targeted nature of the Fuel Allowance scheme, as it would be awarding the payment to people in full-time employment who are not in receipt of a qualifying Social Protection payment.

The minimum rate of payment to a Job Initiative participant is still significantly higher than most Social Welfare primary payments, including payments such as Illness Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit, which are also non-qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pensions Reform

Questions (711)

Richard Bruton

Question:

711. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered suggested innovations in the management of the pool of funds generated by the auto-enrolment scheme, whereby the individual's pot would continue to be managed in a single pool, and drawdowns could be made at a smoothed rate rather than the market value of the moment, given that this approach could allow pooled savings to be invested in higher yielding investment categories and could avoid individual management fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55278/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The proposed investment approach referred to in the question has been considered by officials in my Department and discussed with other relevant Government departments and agencies. It's worth noting that, to my knowledge, the proposal has not been tested in a market setting (i.e., that no commercial pension scheme has adopted the approach proposed) and consequently, there is a lack of evidence as to observed outcomes. It's also worth noting that if such an untested proposal was adopted for the AE system, the returns promised may not be realised, and this considerable risk would be borne by the AE participants themselves.

Earlier this year, the Government approved the final design principles for the new Automatic Enrolment (AE) system. Implementation of the AE system is now well underway, with the first enrolments expected in 2024. The investment approach agreed to by Government will see most participants placed in a default fund, which will be based on a life-cycle investment strategy using a pooled contribution and returns approach. Using this approach, each of the scheme's participants will achieve the same level of financial return as every other participant in accordance with their level of contribution. Participants who wish to exercise their own choice within the AE system will have three other fund types to choose from.

The investment approach set out in the design principles document is based on objective research and robust evidence in terms of real-life outcomes. The design has also been informed by international experts provided through the European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument, which assists EU member states implementing administrative and institutional reforms.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (712)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

712. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if an applicant who pays extra costs for a spouse in a nursing home on the nursing home support scheme can have these costs disregarded in a means test for fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55292/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.

Fuel Allowance operates as part of an overall system of social protection supports which provides assistance payments based on a system of means testing. The means test ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.

By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property - other than the family home - and capital. It does not take account of a person’s expenditure commitments or income tax circumstances.

Allowing deductions in means assessed for outgoings such as costs associated with nursing home care would significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes.

In the case where one person (who is part of a married/cohabiting couple, or in a civil partnership) goes into a nursing home for longer than 13 weeks, the Fuel Allowance means test allows for the means of the couple to be divided by two and the single person disregard is applied.

If a person in receipt of Fuel Allowance and getting paid for a qualified adult who has no entitlement to a social welfare payment in his/her own right moves into a nursing home on a full-time basis, the Fuel Allowance payment may continue.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (713)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

713. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 465 of 25 October 2022, if her attention has been drawn to the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027 which stresses the importance of recognising Covid-19 as an occupational disease; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that 25 of the 27 EU member states have already recognised Covid-19 as an occupational disease, as per the EU Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work Agreement; if she plans to reconsider her position and ensure that Covid-19 is recognised as an occupational disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55293/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—

(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and

(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.

My Department is aware of the work of the EU Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work (ACSH) regarding the recognition of COVID-19 as an occupational disease. Under the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027, the European Commission committed to updating their Recommendations on Occupational Diseases by the end of this year in order to include COVID-19. The Department is monitoring the European Commission's work and recommendations in this regard.

My Department reviews its supports and schemes regularly to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy, legislative and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (714)

Bríd Smith

Question:

714. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if the bonus payment for one-parent families will represent the full amount of the payment; if any maintenance payments usually made to the parent will be deducted from the bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55307/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department is spending approximately €1.2 billion in one-off measures during the period between the Budget and the end of the year to help individuals and families through this difficult period.

These measures include the following lump sum payments:

- €400 Fuel Allowance lump sum

- Double Child Benefit

- €500 Working Family Payment

- €200 Living Alone Allowance lump sum

- €500 Disability Support Grant

- €500 Carer's Support Grant

In addition, an Autumn Cost of Living Payment was paid last month, and a Christmas Bonus will be paid in December. For recipients of the Autumn and Christmas Bonus payments, including those receiving One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional payment, the amount of the bonus is 100% of their normal weekly welfare payment (the minimum payment is €20).

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Community Employment Schemes

Questions (715)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

715. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase remuneration packages for community employment scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors considering they have not had a pay rise in 13 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55360/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

We are all very conscious of the important role that Community Employment (CE) and other programmes play in our communities. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as CE also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities.

The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring authorities who are the legal employers of CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors. CE sponsoring authorities receive state funding to cover the cost of remuneration, training and material costs from the department. Therefore, any pay increases could increase the cost to the state of running CE schemes.

The Department of Social Protection, as the funder of CE schemes, has received correspondence from Fórsa and SIPTU seeking a pay increase for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. However, any increase in pay rates that would potentially increase the overall cost to the state of funding schemes, or state funded activities in the wider community and voluntary sector, must take into consideration the potential cost to the exchequer. Given these budgetary implications, this correspondence has been forwarded to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for their consideration.

The Department will continue to follow-up on this issue with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

School Meals Programme

Questions (716)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

716. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost if the maximum rate of payment per child per day for breakfast-snack were increased to €1, cold lunch to €2, dinner to €2.75 and hot meal to €3.90 under the school meals programme. [55363/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations and benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.

Budget 2022 provided €68.1 million for the programme with an additional €9m provided to allow access to all new DEIS schools from September 2022. Additional funding for the programme has been provided for 2023 bringing the total to €91.6m.

Funding under the school meals programme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided.

It is estimated that there will be 188,000 children receiving the breakfast/snack option for the 2022/2023 school year when all applications are received and processed. If the maximum rate of payment per child per day for the breakfast/snack was increased to €1, this would represent a 67% increase in price. The full year cost for this would be €13m.

It is estimated there will be 133,000 children receiving the cold lunch option. If the maximum rate of payment per child per day for the cold lunch option was increased to €2, this would represent a 43% increase. The full year cost would be €14m.

It is estimated there will be 41,000 children receiving the dinner option. If the maximum rate of payment per child per day for the dinner option was increased to €2.75, this would represent a 45% increase. The full year cost of this would be €6m.

The estimated full-year cost if the maximum rate of payment per child per day for the hot school meal were increased to €3.90 - a 35% increase - is €16m in respect of an estimated 88,000 children. The estimated total cost is €49m.

I am committed to continuing to expand the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme in recent years. In this regard, I commissioned the evaluation of the school meals programme to review all elements of the programme including the funding rates currently being provided for the various meal options. The final report is due to be completed by the end of the year and will help to inform future decisions around this important programme.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Departmental Staff

Questions (717)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

717. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff working in the INTREO centre in Carrick-on-Shannon as of 1 November 2020 and 1 November 2022, in tabular form; and if she will outline the geographical area that this centre covers. [55364/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The following schedule shows the number of staff assigned to the Carrick-on-Shannon Intreo Centre in November 2020 and November 2022.

Month/Year	Carrick-on-Shannon Intreo Centre
November 2020	16.73
November 2022	20.73*

*Includes 1 temporary staff member.

Staff numbers include those working in Schemes Payments, the Public Services Card/Personal Public Service Number Centre, the Community Welfare Service, the Social Welfare Inspectorate and the National Processing Team.

The Carrick-on-Shannon Intreo Centre covers the catchment areas of South Leitrim and parts of North Roscommon, including Carrick-On-Shannon, Leitrim Village, Drumshanbo, Ballinamore, Mohill, Cloone, Arigna and Elphin.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Social Welfare Payments

Questions (718)

Holly Cairns

Question:

718. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that the calculation for illness benefit does not penalise individuals on maternity leave for the period in which the benefit is being assessed. [55437/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Illness Benefit is the main income support for those who cannot work due to illness of any kind and who are covered by social insurance.

The rate of Illness Benefit is calculated based on a person’s average weekly earnings while in insurable employment in the relevant tax year. The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year, for example 2020 is the relevant tax year for claims submitted in 2022. The calculation does not factor in periods of unemployment or periods on social welfare payments, including maternity benefit.

For this reason, Maternity Benefit should not negatively impact the rate of Illness Benefit if they have PRSI contributions from insurable employment from the same year.

If the Deputy is aware of a particular case of interest, it may be brought to the attention of my department for more specific advice.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 719 answered with Question No. 676.

Departmental Staff

Questions (720)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

720. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of officials in her Department who have undertaken the Harvard Business School advanced management programme in the past ten years to date; the grade of each official; and the cost for each attendee in tabular form. [55489/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

In relation to the Deputy's question, none of my officials have been funded to undertake a Harvard Business School advanced management programme during the stated period.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (721)

Seán Canney

Question:

721. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that bonus payments are not being paid to persons in receipt of illness benefit; her views on whether this is permitted and if it is punishing ill persons who were formerly working; if she plans to introduce a mechanism whereby persons on illness benefit who have low means can apply for the bonus payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55498/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for the once-off Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment or the Cost of Living Disability Support Grant introduced in Budget 2023.

In the vast majority of cases, Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for those who are certified by their GP as needing to take time out from their employment. This means there is a constant daily churn in terms of Illness Benefit recipients as people take time off/return to work. In addition, in many cases Illness Benefit is paid directly to the employer where sick pay is paid. Most recipients of Illness Benefit still have an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to work.

Long-term Illness Benefit recipients who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for Invalidity Pension (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria and social insurance contributions). Those who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means-tested Disability Allowance (subject to the relevant medical criteria). All recipients of both of these payments are eligible for additional benefits including free travel and the household benefits package.

My department provides Additional Needs Payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.

Illness Benefit recipients will benefit from the €12 increase in the maximum weekly rate of this payment from January 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Community Welfare Services

Questions (722, 723)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

722. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of community welfare officers based in County Kildare, by town and area of coverage per CWO in each of the years 2015 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55504/22]

Catherine Murphy

Question:

723. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of community welfare officers serving the towns Maynooth, Leixlip and Celbridge per thousand population currently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55505/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 722 and 723 together.

The following table shows the CWOs currently based in Co. Kildare:

Location	No. of CWOs	Full-time Equivalent
Newbridge	5	4.8
Athy	2	2
Maynooth	2	2
Total	9	8.8

A CWO is available to meet with customers in Newbridge, Athy and Maynooth or at another mutually agreed location in Co. Kildare or where necessary, they can arrange to visit a person’s house by appointment.

In addition, any person who needs to access the Community Welfare Service (CWS) can call the national CWS freephone phoneline, which is available at 0818 60 70 80, to speak to a CWO or to make an appointment to meet at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home. In cases where urgent local action is required, such as an immediate cheque payment, this is facilitated on the same day.

The application form, SWA1, is widely available. It can be downloaded at www.gov.ie. It is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. It can also now be requested by emailing [e-mail], by calling 0818 60 70 80 by or using the Request Application Form page available on www.gov.ie. The completed application form should be returned to the Department where it will be processed promptly.

The delivery of a locally based Community Welfare Service remains and will continue to remain a cornerstone of the service.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Question No. 723 answered with Question No. 722.