Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas. I appreciate what the Minister of State has said and I am not going to shoot the messenger in this instance. I must say, however, that his reply is revealing. It reveals that this had been in planning for a long time and that planning did not include any form of consultation with the clients of the Dublin 7 Intreo office. In fact, it demonstrates a complete disregard for those clients and the area.

The reply referred to a review. Will that review be published and can we have sight of it? Who does it benefit? I do not see any benefit for people who are in need and require some human understanding. That is what people who are in need require. They do not need online self-service portals. They need a bit of human compassion and that is what they go to their community welfare officer for. The day the State forgets what its role is for people in need is the day it is finished.

I ask that the Minister of State to go back to the Minister for Social Protection and ask her to meet me and a delegation from the Dublin 7 area to address this issue. I also ask that he go back to the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office Public Works and suggest that he stop wasting public infrastructure and money by having perfectly good and functioning buildings mothballed. It is a disgrace.