Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
50. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review changes made to access to community welfare officers in light of the difficulties being experienced in accessing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14227/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
I do not want any situation where those who need it are experiencing difficulties accessing the CWS. As such, I have asked my officials to host an information session on the Community Welfare Service for all Oireachtas members. This will take place on Wednesday, March 4th. I will ensure that the Deputy has the details of this.
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. 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.
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 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. 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.
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. They have the facility to issue a same-day cheque payment to people who present to CWOs in person each week receive a manual cheque payment on the day that they attend.
The Department monitors operations and access to the service on a continuous basis to ensure that the services remain responsive, efficient, and accessible to all who need them. As part of this ongoing oversight, they continuously monitor the progress of claims and maintain detailed oversight of any outstanding cases to ensure they advance without undue delay. The CWS NICC telephone service is also closely monitored so that call answer rates remain high, and any issues arising are followed up promptly. Engagement with the online Additional Needs Payment (ANP) application continues to grow, reflecting the increasing number of customers choosing to access the service digitally.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
