Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I did not say they would be in place by February. More facilitators will be provided under the national development plan, NDP. I am open to correction but the number has increased by 20 since July. Under the NDP, 50 additional facilitators were to be deployed. They are facilitating the back to education and back to work schemes.

The difference in the assessments conducted by the community welfare officer and local welfare office staff is that the CWOs assess for an immediate need whereas the local office staff assess for a long-term need. The assessment must, therefore, be thorough.

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