Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand that. However, it is obviously important that is done because it has brought benefits already.

On the supplementary welfare allowance, generally that is taken to mean payments, such as special needs payments, we sent out before the cost of living issues kicked in. There are then urgent need payments and the additional needs payments. There is sometimes what is termed an interim payment, where somebody is waiting for a social welfare claim perhaps. I think it is normally referred to as an interim payment. There are about five under the heading. I do not want to get to get caught up with the language of it.

That service is very important. However, there is problem and I want Mr. McKeon to hear it. The Minister stands up and reads out in the Dáil what is given to her and says there is no problem. I want to be fair to the Minister. Generally, that is what she is saying. Others and I have put it to her that there is problem. There were local clinics in different towns. Take County Laois, for example. There would have been a clinic perhaps one morning a week for two hours in Mountrath, Abbeyleix, Rathdowney, Mountmellick, Portarlington and places such as that. In fact, in Portarlington and Rathdowney, there would have been a service because they have small social welfare offices. However, that service has deteriorated.

The community welfare officers, CWOs, are under pressure and I understand that. Obviously, there is more pressure on the Department and we acknowledge that. However, there is a huge issue in that many people who are going for those payments are vulnerable. If it is an interim payment, often they have no other payment for weeks. They are caught in an awful situation. Sometimes they are sent to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. That is not a good place to be. That is not fair to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul either - to try to get it to fill the gap. Basically, they are being told, in some cases, to send emails. Trying to get in contact with the community welfare officer can be difficult. Mr. McKeon said arrangements can be made through the Intreo offices. However, some of the offices in counties are not Intreo offices because it is not the Department's employees running them. They are not the Department's offices; they are contractors. I do not think the one in Portlaoise is an Intreo office, is it?