Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is ruling out bringing the community welfare officers closer to the community, where they would have been. When they were with the HSE many of the community welfare officers knew the people in the area and people knew who to go to if they were in difficulty. That has been pulled back to the Intreo offices. It is another step in that direction. I hope they will not be pulled even further out of the community in the future, and I hope that is not on the agenda. If the Minister is not going to do that aspect of it, can she run an advertisement campaign on the radio or the like to inform people that if they are really in need there is somewhere they can go, and give the information on how to do that? Many people are facing situations where they do not see a way out and they need that support.