Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I am sure the Taoiseach is aware of the substantial queues in social welfare offices throughout the country and the knock-on effect this has had on the community welfare service. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs is distancing herself from responsibility for the community welfare service, which is currently vested in the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, and the HSE. However, the Government and the Taoiseach might recall we enacted the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007, which transferred responsibility for this service from the HSE to the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Is this still Government policy? When will the commencement order be signed, or has the Government changed its mind on this matter?

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