Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We are putting a lot of emphasis this year and will be putting a lot of emphasis next year on training the new staff. Many former community welfare officers are expert at interviewing people because of the nature of their previous work, but many of the new staff are working particularly on the Intreo and activation programmes. We are putting a lot of emphasis on training.

We have revamped the Department's website and there is a lot of information. As the Deputies know, we run a number of seminars. We have run several on various areas of the Department's changing systems. There are also online call services whereby a Deputy can ring to obtain clarification.

The Department receives many parliamentary questions. I would like to see more use of the dedicated telephone lines. If this occurred, the number of parliamentary questions on individuals could be reduced. If one talks to the relevant officials, it is really helpful. After discussion, they are often well able to sort the issue out, whereas a parliamentary question must go all the way to the level of the Secretary General of the Department and back down again. That represents quite a burden administratively.