Written answers

Monday, 9 September 2024

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Citizens Information Services

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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953.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if funding will be provided to Citizens Information Services to enable them to have outreach services in local community centres.[34459/24]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, with responsibility for the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services.

CIB funds and supports a number of companies to deliver on this remit, including eight regional companies of the Citizens Information Services (CIS), which provides information, advice and advocacy services to the public.

These services are delivered by the CIS through a network of 90 Citizens Information Centres nationwide, alongside outreach services in 21 locations, and seven prison in-reach services.

Information and advice services are also provided to the public through the national Citizens Information Phone Service.

I understand from CIB that the location of outreach services, which are staffed by Information Officers from local Citizens Information Centres, are determined by the CIS companies themselves, and currently span a number of areas, including Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Limerick, Monaghan, Tipperary, Cork and Roscommon.

Detailed information on locations and opening times of Citizens Information Centres can be found on citizensinformation.ie. Information on outreach and in-reach services can also be found on the site, under the relevant Citizens Information Centre.

In addition, CIS in conjunction with library services, are currently piloting virtual appointment clinics in three libraries, in Wicklow, Carraroe (also a bi-lingual service) and Achill Island. This innovative service allow members of the public to book and access a virtual appointment with a CIS Information Officer in their local library.

CIB has been allocated Exchequer funding of €61.495m in 2024 by my Department, which includes a total of €17.4m to the eight CIS regional companies. I understand from CIB that the cost of any outreach services is met from within the individual CIS regional company’s annual budget.

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