Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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84. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the provision of a social welfare office in Balbriggan, County Dublin, for local community welfare services in view of the fact that currently recipients are required to travel to the city centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32894/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that, with effect from 1 July 2013, community welfare services (CWS) for the Balbriggan area, which were previously administered from Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, have transferred to Balbriggan Social Welfare Local Office, Mill Street, Balbriggan. As a result, all CWS services for the Balbriggan area are now delivered locally. Local TDs and the Citizen Information Centre were informed of the re-location of services in advance of the change. The CW services now provided from the Local Office covers all CW services for Balbriggan North (north of the Bracken Court Hotel) and their maintenance thereafter.

The Clinic times are: Monday - 9.30am to 11.30am; Wednesday - 9.30am to 11.30am; Thursday - 10.30am to 12.30pm; Friday - 10am to 11am (emergencies only). There will also be an appointments service on Wednesday afternoons between 2pm to 4pm. Customer emergencies will be dealt with as they arise and are not restricted to the clinic time’s referred to above. Customers can contact the CWS by phone on 01-6913812 and 01-6913813. There is no change to the delivery of Community Welfare services for the remaining area of Balbriggan which is administered from Balbriggan Health Centre.