Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that no community welfare officer is available in Carrick on Suir, County Tipperary; when regular meetings with community welfare officers in local communities will resume; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50402/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Community Welfare Service (CWS) delivers the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme which is the safety net within the overall social welfare system. This scheme helps eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.

Citizens living in Carrick on Suir can meet a Community Welfare Officer (CWO) by appointment at the Social Welfare Branch Office, 55 New St, Carrick on Suir. A CWO is available as required either on an appointment basis or if an emergency need arises Monday to Friday.

The Community Welfare Service continues to provide local access to local CWOs in local areas across the country and there are no plans to change this aspect of the service. CWOs can facilitate urgent and in-person meetings in 51 Intreo Centres, across business hours, five days per week. 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. I have not received any complaints or adverse feedback from customers regarding access to the Community Welfare Service.

Any person who needs to access the Community Welfare Service can also call the recently established National CWS freephone phoneline which is available at 0818 60 70 80 to make an appointment within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home. More and more customers are availing of the opportunity to have their issues resolved by this method rather than by calling into an office.

A modern Community Welfare Service should be easily accessible to all customers and for this reason, customers no longer have to meet in person with a CWO to make a claim. This significant change ensures enhanced access to the Community Welfare Service.

It means, for instance, that those citizens living in Carrick on Suir who require community welfare assistance no longer have to meet with a CWO if that is more convenient for them. The application form, SWA1, is widely available. It can be downloaded at www.gov.ie. It is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. It can also now be requested by emailing cwsforms@welfare.ie or by calling 0818 60 70 80. Customers can also request a SWA1 form by using the Request Application Form page available on www.gov.ie. The completed application form should be returned to my Department where it will be processed promptly.

This is a new addition to the service, and it does not replace or diminish face-to-face meetings with a CWO. Depending on the person's needs a direct home visit appointment or a call to another mutually agreed location can be arranged, including at the person’s home and customers in Carrick on Suir can meet a CWO by appointment at the Social Welfare Branch Office in Carrick on Suir.

The Community Welfare Service is ready to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of customers, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that this service is easily accessible and responsive to customer needs. While changes to modernise and improve the service for customers are a feature of the Community Welfare Service, the delivery of a locally based CWS remains and will continue to remain a cornerstone of the service.

I trust this clarifies the matter.