Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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20. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when the new community welfare office will be in place to service the Crumlin-Drimnagh-Walkinstown area (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and the location of same. [38990/14]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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22. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the staffing levels that will be in place if and when a new community welfare office opens in Crumlin, Dublin 12 (details supplied). [39002/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 22 together.

The Department continues to examine ways to make the delivery of welfare services as efficient as possible having regard to the resources available. The consolidation of smaller offices with limited opening times into a central unit that has an expanded range of availability is a model that has been successful in other areas. In this context, Community Welfare services for Dublin 12 are now being delivered through a hub in Charlemont Street with a team-based approach to case management.

The Charlemont Street Clinic delivers the full range of Community Welfare Services supplemented by a Community Welfare Service provided by Bishop Square Local Office for those clients applying for jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit and one parent family payment who require an interim payment.

The service offered from Charlemont Street provide for public opening hours of 10.00am to 12.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. This hub service is supplemented by home visits and by a phone and postal service. The staff and service is operated in a flexible manner to accommodate the needs of people experiencing difficulties in accessing Charlemont Street for mobility or other reasons.

As the Intreo model of integrated services is rolled out in this area the allocation of available resources to customer demand will be kept under review.