Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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567. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the process that is in place for community welfare officers as regards receiving an application under supplementary welfare allowance; who makes a decision on a claim; where that claim is submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23365/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country remains a priority for me and my Department. It is important that the CWS remains an accessible, flexible and responsive service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people, particularly in a time of crisis or emergency.

The continued availability of locally based Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) is a key feature of the service. Furthermore, citizens no longer have to meet in person with a CWO to make a claim and access to CWS is not limited to a face-to-face meeting with a CWO. Intreo Centres and Social Welfare Branch Offices across the country are open five days per week and any person who needs to contact or access the CWS can call our phone line or attend at an office, either to speak directly to a CWO or to make an appointment for a consultation on the same day with a CWO. A direct home visit appointment can be arranged depending on the person's needs. The Supplementary Welfare Allowance application form (SWA1) can be downloaded from www.gov.ie for those who are in a position to access online services and completed applications, once returned to my Department, are processed promptly.

To help citizens and to support our CWOs where possible, the preparatory work on applications, for example the gathering of supporting documentation that is necessary to assess and finalise a claim, is carried out by a back-office team. The assessment and decision on claims and any further interactions or engagements with other agencies is then carried out by locally based CWOs.

It is vital that the CWS is easily accessible and responsive to the needs of citizens and developing and enhancing access to the service remains a priority for me.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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568. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a list of outreach offices in which community welfare officers are providing appointments to persons. [23366/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to a Community Welfare Service (CWS) that remains a flexible service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people and the continued availability of local access to a CWO is a key feature of the service.

CWOs can facilitate emergency and in-person meetings in all Intreo Centres across business hours, five days per week. Some CWOs are based in Social Welfare Branch Offices and provide appointments at those offices. A person can be seen by appointment in any Branch Office.

In addition to meeting citizens in Intreo Centres, Branch Offices and DSP offices, Community Welfare Officers can facilitate an appointment with a person at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home.

As part of my continued commitment to improve the CWS across the country, citizens no longer have to meet in person with a CWO to make a claim. Application forms are available on www.gov.ie and at any Intreo Centre or Branch Office.

Consultations with a CWO are available via phone, at our offices and if the need arises a direct home visit appointment can be arranged depending on the person's need. All applications for assistance are dealt with promptly by officials.

This change is a significant enhancement to the service offered to citizens as it means that those who require assistance no longer need to visit an office or wait to make a claim or wait to access the service.

I trust this clarifies the matter.