Dáil debates

Tuesday, 17 May 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Social Welfare Payments

9:10 pm

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have said many times that it is totally unacceptable that statistics are not collected on the number of people who are refused exceptional needs payments. If we do not know how many apply for it and are refused, then we have a problem. We need the data. The Department collects data on many things and this should be one of them. I welcome what the Minister has said on collating statistics. I presume those statistics will only be collected from now on. How is that being done?

I agree with what has been said. I am getting many calls from people who cannot access the community welfare officer. They used to be in local health centres. It is very hard to access them. It seems to be an issue across the board and it needs to be addressed because people, sometimes in situations of real emergency, need to be able to access the community welfare officer when they have no one else turn to.

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