Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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474. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to provide a wider range of services to persons in western areas of Connemara from the social welfare office in Clifden, County Galway to ensure that persons in the area do not have to travel unnecessarily to Galway for services thus reducing carbon emissions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17054/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Intreo Centres (ICs) are a single point of contact for all employment and income supports. The Centres are designed to provide a streamlined approach, offering practical, tailored employment services and supports for jobseekers.

The range of services provided by Clifden IC are similar to those provided by ICs nationally including those provided by Galway IC.

In the interests of continuing to observe the current public health advice in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic and to safeguard both customers and staff, my Department reduced the Intreo Centres’ public opening hours. These are emergency temporary measures and our opening hours are being kept under review.

Clifden IC is currently open to the public on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings and closed on Wednesday. However, staff are always available to provide assistance over the phone or through email at Clifden@welfare.ie.

On-line services are also available through the easy to use online portal www.mywelfare.ie to customers who wish to apply for income supports and / or obtain information on the services provided by my Department.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.