Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Mangan to the committee. Her qualifications seem appropriate for the job and I hope she does a good one.

There is one question I want to ask Ms Mangan. My local Citizens Information Board, which is at Ring Terrace in Inchicore and which is linked with the one in Dublin 8, is now on a two-day week. Because of the cuts, the service is unable to provide the five-day service it provided previously.

I am aware of changes in how the CIBs will provide services to citizens who need help. Can Ms Mangan provide information on what the reconfiguration entails and what is coming down the line? I believe they will try to close down many of the offices and reconfigure the remaining ones into three main areas. How will that impact on the services they provide? The Citizens Information Board offices are important points of contact for citizens to get independent advice. We have constituency offices but they are not the Citizens Information Board. The board gives independent information to citizens. The role the volunteers and workers in the Citizens Information Board offices play is helping people go through complex applications or forms. Will this new configuration be more service-driven or driven for the service needs of citizens?