Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 622: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to complaints that it is difficult for members of the public to obtain information regarding the opening hours of local social welfare offices, as some offices do not have automated voice mail systems to provide this information out of hours and the information is not available on his Department's website; if he will take steps to rectify this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14480/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's website www.welfare.ie contains a list of every Local and Branch Office together with their address, telephone number and opening and closing times. This detailed listing can be found under the section entitled 'Contact Us' which appears on the Home Page. My Department endeavours to ensure that customers who make contact by telephone speak directly to a telephonist or an officer. Therefore, my Department uses limited pre-recorded oral announcements in the delivery of its schemes and services and these are confined to LoCall numbers. After hours recorded messages are not currently available for individual Local and Branch Offices.