Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Since this time last year approximately 200,000 people have lost their jobs. When people lose their jobs they apply for social welfare payments. It usually takes a number of weeks for a social welfare payment to be processed and paid. If there is any complication with a claim, for example, if the paperwork is wrong, in particular if somebody has been self-employed, it can take much longer. In some cases it takes three months but it may be more before a social welfare payment is made. While somebody who has lost his or her job is waiting for a social welfare payment, he or she is expected to go to the health centre to make an application to the community welfare officer for supplementary welfare assistance. The problem now is that the community welfare system is creaking under the strain due to the large numbers of people who are turning up, and due to the impact of the Government recruitment and replacement embargo.

Let me give the Taoiseach a couple of examples. The community welfare officer in the Loughlinstown health centre in my constituency has been out sick for the past four weeks approximately. He was replaced, and his replacement is now out sick.

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