Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Since around 2004 the Department of Social Protection has been responsible for humanitarian assistance. The level of humanitarian assistance is a matter for the Government as a whole but is administered in general by the Department through community welfare officers. The critical issue that Members can assist with is information on people who are in terrible distress. I am aware of that. I was out last night in the floods. The SWA scheme is meant to provide humanitarian assistance. More complex, longer-term works relating to flooding are obviously primarily a matter for the Office of Public Works.

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