John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of all websites under her remit; the annual cost of maintaining each website; the average number of hits per month on each site for the past year; her views on whether these websites can be rationalised to bring about cost savings without compromising e-Govermnent objectives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37950/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department currently maintains five websites: www.welfare.ie www.groireland.ie www.nationalpensionsframework.ie www.socialinclusion.ie www.communitywelfareservice.ie

The Department's main website, www.welfare.ie, contains information on the range of schemes and services provided, as well as policy publications and online services. This site was re-designed and re-developed in 2008 and is highly accessible, winning the Accessible eGovernment Award at the 2009 Irish eGovernment Awards. The content on www.welfare.ie is maintained and updated by Department staff. The website provides a platform for the delivery of a range of online services integrated with the Department's systems and processes.

Responsibility for the General Register Office, and for its website www.groireland.ie, was transferred from the Department of Health and Children to this Department from 1 January 2008.

The Department also maintains the www.nationalpensionsframework.ie website. This site was originally launched as www.pensionsgreenpaper.ie in 2007 to coincide with the launch of the Pensions Green Paper and has been recently expanded and renamed to include information on the Government's plans for the future of pensions in Ireland, the National Pensions Framework and its implementation.

Responsibility for the website www.socialinclusion.ie was transferred from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs to this Department from June 1, 2011, upon the transfer of the Social Inclusion Division to this Department.

Responsibility for the website www.communitywelfareservice.ie was transferred from the Health Service Executive to this Department from October 1, 2011, upon the transfer of the Community Welfare Service to this Department.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office operates independently of the Department and provides an independent appeals service. It maintains the website www.socialwelfareappeals.ie.

Agencies under the remit of the Department maintain another seven websites.

The Citizens Information Board maintains the following six websites: www.citizensinformation.ie www.citizensinformationboard.ie www.assistireland.ie www.losingyourjob.ie www.keepingyourhome.ie www.selfemployedsupports.ie (not yet launched)

The Pensions Board maintains the website http://www.pensionsboard.ie/www.pensionsboard.ie.

The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman website www.pensionsombudsman.ie is supported and maintained by the Department's staff.

A number of websites maintained by the Department will be rationalised in 2012; www.nationalpensionsframework.ie, www.socialinclusion.ie and www.communitywelfareservice.ie will be integrated with the Department's main website www.welfare.ie.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will launch a new e-Government Strategy in early 2012; any further decisions regarding the rationalisation of websites will take account of this new Strategy.

The costs and the average monthly visits are provided in the table below.