Thomas Gould
Ceist:652. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the average wait time for an additional needs payment in Cork city. [72112/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 16 December 2025
Ceisteanna (652, 653)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:653. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the average wait time for an appointment with a community welfare officer in Cork city. [72113/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 653 together.
The 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 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. This service is easily accessible and responsive to our client’s needs.
CWOs are available in over 50 locations across the country, including the Intreo Centre at Abbeycourt House in Cork City, where they can be seen without an appointment, during business hours, Monday to Friday.
Alternatively, 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 or indeed anywhere suitable. These arrangements ensure people who need a service have comprehensive options for accessing the service in person.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my department may make an ANP to help meet expenses that an eligible person cannot pay from their weekly income, personal and/or household resources. The ANP scheme is demand led and administered by Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) in the Community Welfare Service (CWS), taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Claim processing times are monitored at both a national and local level in the CWS, with targeted interventions available to support and mitigate delays in any area across the Country, where fluctuations in claim loads are observed. This maintains the claim processing timeframes nationwide for ANPs.
My department cannot provide a breakdown analysis of average claim processing times specific to Cork City however, work on hands nationally for ANPs is within the scheme's normal processing levels and fully completed applications, where the required documentation is supplied, are generally processed within ten working days. 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.
When considering an application from people in financial difficulty for any payment under the SWA scheme, the CWO must consider all of the relevant circumstances when examining a case in determining the most appropriate scheme type and level of assistance required. The CWO may ask for a number of supporting documents to ensure the customer receives a level of payment appropriate to their needs. Where an application cannot be finalised promptly, the delay is normally due to the need for additional information or documentation and the time it takes for the information to be provided. Upon receipt of this information, the application is then processed quickly.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Question No. 653 answered with Question No. 652.