Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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380. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the changes her Department are introducing to the Community Welfare Service throughout the country; if these intended changes include the centralisation of the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45827/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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A comprehensive review of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) was undertaken in the Department during 2021 with the purpose of determining the best future operating model for delivering the service. The review identified substantial benefits to standardising and streamlining the Community Welfare Service and in order to progress this, a national organisational structure was established.

The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. There has been a number of innovations this year to increase efficiency in processing applications for SWA payments. One of these is the establishment of a back-office team to undertake the preparatory work on applications - for example, the gathering of supporting documentation that is necessary to assess and finalise a claim. This method of processing applications supports a number of CWS areas across the country and it has been found to be very effective in releasing Community Welfare Officers (CWO) from the requirement to undertake administrative tasks and to focus on delivery of services. It allows for increased capacity for CWOs to meet with customers as required and to process claims. This model will be extended to cover all CWS areas across the country in the coming weeks.

Technology plays a big part in how we can improve our citizens access to Community Welfare Services. It is expected that video call technology will be available shortly to allow customers to connect directly with a CWO.

A freephone National Contact Phoneline for CWS was launched in June this year which further enhances access to the CWS nationwide. This is a dedicated phoneline available to people across the country to get information on the CWS and access to a CWO to seek assistance and support. Customers can contact the phoneline at 0818 60 70 80. Since the phoneline commenced operation, more and more people are availing of the opportunity to have their issues resolved by this method rather than by calling into an office. Arrangements are also in place for onward follow-up by a local CWO if an issue to this contact phoneline cannot be resolved.

The Department is also assessing the provision of an online Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme application process. The provision of SWA1 forms online will ensure that those who wish to access this scheme without needing to attend an office can do so. 

Customers now no longer have to meet in person with a CWO to make a claim. This change ensures enhanced access to the Community Welfare Service. It means for instance that those who require community welfare assistance in a more remote rural area no longer have to wait for an outreach service to be available on a particular day. Intreo Centres and Branch Offices are open five days per week and any person who needs to access the Community Welfare Service can attend an office or can call the phone line to make an appointment for a consultation on the same day with a CWO.

This is not intended to dilute or replace customers access to a CWO. Indeed the continued availability of locally based CWO is a cornerstone of the service. CWOs can facilitate emergency and in-person meetings in 51 Intreo Centres across business hours, five days per week. Some CWOs are based in Social Welfare Branch Offices and provide appointments at those offices. In addition to meeting citizens in Intreo Centres, Branch Offices and DSP offices, CWOs can facilitate an appointment within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home.

It is vital that the Community Welfare Service is an easily accessible, flexible, and responsive service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people, particularly in a time of crisis or emergency. While changes to modernise and improve the service for customers are a feature of the service, continued in-person customer engagement remains a pivotal feature within the community welfare service.

I trust this clarifies the matter.