Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I thank the Seanad staff and particularly the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter. I welcome the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Cullen. This is the second occasion on which I have raised this matter on the Adjournment. I have made numerous representations to the Minister, and colleagues in the Dáil have raised the matter on my behalf. This is of the utmost importance to the people of Dunmanway, and I cannot stress that enough. Dunmanway has been forgotten for years by successive Governments and has lacked support and investment because of that. Nevertheless we have a strong community spirit, and the community and the local authority have just published an ambitious strategic plan for the town's future that sets out a broad blueprint on where the town should be going regarding strategic investment and infrastructure. There is a very strong air of confidence there, which had been lacking for many years.

The social welfare office closed last July because of the untimely death of the branch manager and it has not reopened. In an era of decentralisation we must ensure as many services as possible are retained in rural towns such as Dunmanway, which is the geographical centre point of west Cork. BIM and the Department of Transport are in Clonakilty or on their way there. It is important that a service such as this that is connected with an arm of the State is retained in one of the towns near the location of decentralisation. The office has not reopened since its temporary closure last July. A number of other offices in other west Cork towns have had to process claims from Dunmanway. There is no difficulty with accommodation. The premises from which the office used to operate is still available and there is no question of accommodation being a difficulty.

The Minister will not admit it here this evening but it is creating difficulties for other offices in other towns that have had to deal with it. It also creates difficulty for people who have to travel from Dunmanway to other west Cork towns to process their claims. There is no DART service. There is a bus service, but it is not convenient for people who want their social welfare claims processed. There is no readily available public transport that can get them in and out of other towns in a reasonable timeframe.

As a result of the closure three jobs have been lost. We had a manufacturing facility from the 1970s up to the late 1990s when, sadly, it closed with the loss of 120 jobs that have never been replaced. While three jobs might not sound like much in the national scheme, in an area like this is it very important. The people of the area, those who worked in the office before and others who have an interest in that want the office reopened and the service retained. Can the Minister assure us this office will be reopened for the people of Dunmanway?

I thank the Acting Chairman for taking this Adjournment matter and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Cullen, for being present. This service is needed and must be retained in the area. The office must be reopened. There is no difficulty in competition for the contract or accommodation. There is a strong spirit and appetite locally for this office to be reopened and I appeal to the Minister to look favourably on this matter.