Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 196: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost of providing the current social welfare offices in Portlaoise, County Laois, including the CWS; the cost of establishing and maintaining the new control office in Portlaoise; if any consideration has been given to integrating these offices to provide a more efficient and effective service to the persons of County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16532/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The annual costs incurred in providing the current social welfare office services in Portlaoise are €848,404. While staff of the CWS are currently on secondment to the Department, the costs of their accommodation are met in the first instance by the HSE, and reimbursed by the Department as part of the overall funding arrangement between the two bodies. It was not possible to disaggregate the costs of community welfare service accommodation in Portlaoise in the time available.

My Department is working closely with the Office of Public Works (OPW) to acquire new local office and control office accommodation in a number of locations throughout the country including Portlaoise. It is intended where possible and within tight budgetary constraints that these new offices would be capable of providing fully integrated service to the public, comprising all employment and benefit support services in line with the Programme for Government.