Written answers
Thursday, 3 February 2022
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Community Welfare Services
Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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53. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if call-in facilities for community welfare services will be provided at Ballybay, Clones, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and Monaghan town, County Monaghan on a weekly basis in 2022. [4898/22]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Community Welfare Service (CWS) of the Department of Social Protection delivers the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme which is the safety net within the overall social welfare system. This scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.
Following the recent easing of public health restrictions, outreach services have resumed in Castleblayney, Carrickmacross, Clones and Monaghan town from 31/1/22. The location of the outreach service in Carrickmacross and Castleblayney has moved to the Social Welfare Branch Offices in those towns.
The schedule for outreach Community Welfare Services in Co. Monaghan is as follows from 31/1/22:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monaghan | Walk in service:all day | Walk in service: all day | Appointment service all day | ||
Clones | Walk in service: 10am - 12pm. Afternoon by appointment. | ||||
Carrickmacross | Walk in service: all day | Walk in service: all day | |||
Castleblayney | Walk in service: 10am - 12pm. Afternoon by appointment. |
It is important to note that as part of my continued commitment to improve the Community Welfare Service in County Monaghan and across the country, customers no longer have to meet in person with a Community Welfare Officer to make a claim. This change is a significant enhancement to the service offered to customers as it means, for instance, that those who require community welfare assistance in Ballybay or any other location in County Monaghan no longer need to visit an outreach location or wait to make a claim or wait to access the service.
These initiatives that I have put in place continue to ensure that the service is easily accessible and responsive to customer needs, particularly in a time of crisis or emergency.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
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