Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department has a network of more than 120 Intreo centres and social welfare branch offices throughout the country which are open to customers five days per week during business hours. My Department does not currently have a specific mobile unit available in which to meet with customers, and the requirement for such has not been currently identified.

We do, from time to time, make arrangements to visit a person who may be incapacitated at his or her place of residence, for example, to process an application for a public service card or to assist a person complete an application. Given the relatively low numbers involved, no statistics are maintained on this activity. In addition, community welfare officers, CWO, can facilitate an appointment within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home.

Separately the development of our online service portal mywelfare.iemeans a growing number of customers can access the Department's services without having to post a paper form or call into their local Intreo centre. This is the quickest and easiest way for a person to apply for most income supports and payment statements. Last year in excess of 2.7 million transactions were completed through this portal, bringing the total number of transactions to date to more than 10 million. It may interest Deputies to know that usage of the portal by people over 65 years was as high as that by people aged 18 to 24 years.

See this speech in context