Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there is a financial implication to the changeover of the community welfare officers from the Health Service Executive to his Department; the offices these people will be using; if his Department will be renting out those offices from the HSE; when the transfer is complete, the location the CWOs will be working from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9276/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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In February 2006 as part of its reform of the Health Sector, the Government decided to transfer certain functions together with staff and other associated resources from the Health Service Executive to my Department. The functions to be transferred include the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme as well as certain other functions. The SWA scheme is currently administered by some 700 Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) and 59 superintendents and supporting clerical and other staff within the Community Welfare Service of the HSE. They will remain community based and will continue to provide key information, advice, advocacy and referral links between agencies following the transfer. The SWA scheme is already 100% funded by my Department and this includes overheads such as accommodation costs. The scheme is currently administered from over 1,000 locations throughout the country. In some cases, the service is provided from premises owned by the HSE. In other cases, the service is provided from premises leased by the HSE in respect of which my Department pays the rent in full or in part. In a small number of cases, the service is provided from Departmental premises. These arrangements will continue in place following the transfer. In November 2006, my Department published a report of a Review of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. The report points to the need for a more streamlined approach to the delivery of income support through the Social Welfare system actively supported by case management. In that regard, the report provides a valuable working template to support the transfer programme. My Department's commitments in Towards 2016, the National Development Plan and the National Anti-Poverty strategy provide further under-pinning for this enhanced approach. The future development of the service following the transfer should see more co-location in Departmental premises. This would be more convenient for customers of the community welfare officer, most of whom are also the Department's customers. Co-location would also bring cost efficiencies. No net increase in Exchequer expenditure is envisaged arising from the transfer functions.