Written answers

Thursday, 9 December 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Inspections

Photo of Gary GannonGary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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259. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of home inspections that have happened in the past 12 months. [61111/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Social Welfare Inspectors are appointed under the Social Welfare Acts to investigate and report on claims. An Inspector’s report is then used to inform the Deciding Officer, who is also appointed under the Social Welfare Acts to make decisions on claims based on all the facts and evidence available. A record of facts and evidence relevant to an individual’s claim is maintained for the purpose of the decision-making process.

A Social Welfare Inspector will use his or her judgement in considering the most appropriate location for an interview in order to establish eligibility to the Department’s schemes. Interviews may be conducted in a customer’s home, in the Department’s offices or, for example, on a premises where employment is believed or suspected to be taking place.

However, I should emphasise that Social Welfare Inspectors may only enter a private home if invited. There is no statutory power of entry, unlike a workplace. If a customer does not wish to allow an Inspector to enter their private home, they may be requested by the inspector to make themselves available for interview at an alternative agreed location. It is important to understand that Social Welfare Inspectors work across the range of the Department's activities and that home visits could be required, for instance, to facilitate a customer who for various reasons (e.g. a disability) is unable to leave their home, or to review a case without which a delay in payment to the customer might occur. In many cases home visits are a more suitable way of interacting with the Department’s inspectors for customers.

During this COVID pandemic the Department is mindful of the safety of both Social Welfare Inspectors and customers and consequently all home visits are restricted at this time only to be undertaken in exceptional circumstances. The operating position remains under review in line with Government guidelines and the ongoing COVID situation.

Case specific information, including whether a site visit or home visit took place, is not recorded by my Department. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the information that the Deputy is seeking as the information requested is not available. However, and as the Deputy recently has discussed with some of the Department’s officials, the Department is examining how this information could be gathered and recorded to allow reporting on the number of home visits made by the Department’s inspectors.

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