Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 20 seeks to impose a requirement on the director to set out the circumstances in which electronic forms will be waived. A key design principle adopted by the DSS is to offer an accessible, person-centred and digital-first service, in line with wider Government policy. In the majority of cases this enables the design of a flexible system to effectively manage increases in demand in the coming years and ensures the privacy and integrity of service user data. While the DSS has adopted a digital-first approach, the service will not be digital only. It will include a range of options and supports for people interacting with the service. The DSS and I are very conscious that given the range of persons with varying capacity who will seek to rely on the supports of the new legislation, digital literacy cannot be assumed and neither can universal access to IT infrastructure. However, we believe it is unnecessary to make provision in primary legislation for paper or offline forms as the relevant powers will rest with the Director already.

The DSS will provide a range of options and supports for users including paper-based alternatives for those who require them and multiple communication channels including online, phone, e-mail and paper post. Communication will be person-centred and led by the preference of the user. A dedicated information service team will provide support and information. Trained DSS staff will walk users through, or directly assist in the completion of, arrangement applications and other processes, where required. Detailed guidance and information will be provided in accessible forms. There will be direct links to relevant guidance and information in online forms, as well as signposting to appropriate external supports and resources. Those processes will be undertaken by the 20 direct staff of the DSS.