Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider making a liaison or support person available to those who need assistance making applications and appeals with respect to disability related payments as recommended by Inclusion Ireland. [49845/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is the policy of my Department to standardise and simplify application forms. Plain English principles are applied to ensure that they are available in a simple, clear, easy to read format. My Department operates a network of some 125 social welfare local and branch offices throughout the country. Each local office has dedicated information officers providing information on all the Department’s schemes and services and who are available to assist with the completion of application forms where required.

The nationwide network of over 200 Citizens Information Centres also offers a drop-in service where callers can meet information providers face-to-face. Staff in these centres offer information, advice and advocacy to individuals on a wide range of public and social services, including the Social Welfare Appeals process. In addition the National Advocacy Service, which was established under the Citizens Information Board in January 2011, provides an independent, confidential and free, representative advocacy service to vulnerable people with disabilities who cannot self-advocate, while supporting others to use mainstream services. The aim of the National Advisory Service is to ensure that the voices of people with disabilities are heard and their rights safeguarded.

I am satisfied that the assistance and support available to customers, through my Department’s offices, through the Citizens Information Centres and the National Advocacy Service enables them to access my Departments schemes and services, including disability related payments, in a timely and effective manner that best meets their needs.