Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
705. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of volunteers registered with the citizens information centres before September 2022 and for each year after September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37715/26]
View answerThe Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body, under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection, that funds and support the eight independent Citizens Information Service (CIS) companies, which operate the national network of Citizens Information Centres.
Across the Citizens Information Service (CIS) both employed staff and volunteers are essential in the provision of supports to service users.
The table below shows the number of volunteers registered with the Citizen's Information Centres before September 2022 and for each year after September 2022.
|
Year |
Number of CIS volunteers |
|
January 2020 |
786 Volunteers were not active during Covid-19 restrictions. |
|
2023 |
170 |
|
2024 |
195 |
|
2025 |
180 |
Each CIS is overseen by a voluntary Board of Directors; the above excludes the volunteer board members.
As Minister, I absolutely recognise and value the important work carried out by volunteers in the CIS and I have been very clear to CIB that it is important that the voluntary ethos of the CIS should be protected and the skills of its volunteers be valued and utilised to the maximum extent possible.
