Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.

The delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my Department. The CWS continues to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of clients, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that this service is easily accessible and responsive to our client’s needs.

Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are physically on site daily in over 50 Intreo Centres across the country where they are available to be seen without an appointment, during business hours, Monday to Friday. 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.

While local face-to-face engagement with clients continues to be a cornerstone of the community welfare service, it is important to mention that a person does not need to meet with a CWO to make an application and any person who needs to access the Community Welfare Service (CWS) can call the National CWS freephone number at 0818 60 70 80, to make an appointment or to speak directly to a CWO. A person can speak with a CWO over the phone if they do not wish to travel to meet with a CWO in person. CWS staff working on the phoneline are dealing with approximately 5,000 callers per month. This service is proving very popular with customers in rural areas, who can have their needs met without the requirement to travel.

Where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. CWOs are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.

A person can apply for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payment by completing a SWA1 form which is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. It can also be requested by calling 0818 60 70 80 and by using this link www.eforms.gov.ie/en/forms/5. A completed application form together with any supporting documentation can be returned directly to my Department where the claim will be processed quickly.

A recent development to MyWelfare.ie means a person can apply online for an Additional Needs Payment (ANP). The provision of the ANP online application allows a person make an application online whilst also providing documentation in support of their claim.

My officials in the CWS are actively engaged with the Society of St. Vincent De Paul (SVP) and other NGOs at both national and local levels. Local information sessions with the SVP have been facilitated by the CWS in several locations with a further information sessions scheduled. The CWS also previously participated in an information webinar with more than 250 SVP volunteers from across the country and a further webinar is scheduled for June 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter.