Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also want to welcome this scheme. Like previous speakers, information will be critical because I have been inundated with phone calls and people calling into the office. People are also going to social welfare offices for information. It is so important that elderly people get this and a lot of them do not do online applications. When it comes to the social welfare offices, has the Minister thought about recruiting extra personnel for a few months? They may be needed in January or even in December. People have contacted me and they are delighted with this but extra personnel could be important for the social welfare offices. As the Minister said, the staff there work so hard but their phones are constantly ringing and people are looking for information. How can we get the information out as quickly as possible? Is the Minister looking at recruiting more staff until we get the bulk of the applications processed? This is a welcome move for the 80,000 people who need this assistance most; they are the most vulnerable.

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