Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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At present, social welfare services in Portlaoise are provided from a Branch Office by an independent contractor and also through the Social Welfare Inspectors Office in Government Buildings. The Branch Office services include a general information service for the public, accepting all forms of social welfare claims; registration and maintenance of jobseekers claims including processing of jobseekers and one parent family payments. The Social Welfare Inspectors Office provides facilities for the Inspectors to conduct interviews for the assessment and review of eligibility for social welfare schemes along with general information office mornings which are held on a weekly basis for the public. The Special Investigation Unit and the Jobs Facilitator also provide services to the people of County Laois from this office.

The Department plans to establish a Control Office in Portlaoise to cater for the processing of claims from the 3 Branch offices in County Laois (Portlaoise; Rathdowney and Portarlington). The new office will be responsible for deciding entitlements to Jobseekers payments for people attending the three Branch Offices in County Laois and for processing One Parent Family Payment claims from lone parents in the county. It will also serve as a centre for conducting interviews and for registration of Personal Public Service numbers.

The Office of Public Works has identified a suitable location for the new office and is currently negotiating a lease on behalf of the Department. Following conclusion of these negotiations the office will be opened to the public.