Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
77. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding access to community welfare officers and offices, the average waiting time for appointments; if there is a shortage of office locations; and whether opening times are an issue for those who need to access community welfare services. [15633/26]
View answerThe delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of people across the country is a priority for me and for my department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) continues to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, 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 51 Intreo Centres across the country where they are available to be seen without an appointment, during business hours, Monday to Friday. There are 50 additional locations with services available on a part-time or appointment basis to meet customers' needs. Customers can access Community Welfare Services in any location and are not restricted to accessing these services at their local office.
In addition to meeting people in Intreo Centres 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. These arrangements ensure people who need a service have comprehensive options for accessing the service in person. CWOs are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.
While local face-to-face engagement with people 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. Any person who needs to access the CWS can call the National CWS freephone number at 0818 60 70 80, to make an appointment, speak directly to a CWO or to request general information about Community Welfare Services.
There is a high uptake of this service which allows people to have their needs met without the requirement to travel. Furthermore, the introduction of the online claim facility via www.mywelfare.ie also means that customers can now submit a claim for an Additional Needs Payment online which will receive a decision by a CWO. These services mean that people can have their needs met without the requirement to travel or attend in-person during specific hours.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
