Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

The idea is fundamentally sound. The officers are working for the HSE and reimbursed indirectly by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Their real work is dealing with disadvantage at the front line. They will still maintain their current discretion, but they will work with the Department that is primarily responsible for dealing with the same kind of disadvantage. It is more sensible to have these officers within the Department of Social and Family Affairs than have them working for the HSE and reimbursed through my vote transferred to the HSE. They do fantastic work, but it leaves my Department without direct troops in the field in the fight against disadvantage.

The community welfare officers are a huge asset to the country. There will be full consultation between the working group, the unions and the stakeholders involved in this. It is the right thing to do and I hope we can do it successfully.

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