Mattie McGrath criticises removal of community welfare offices
Deputy Mattie McGrath criticised the removal of community welfare offices from villages and towns and said the changes have made it harder for people to access assistance. He warned the new arrangements and a dedicated phone line are leaving people unable to find or contact offices during a severe cost of living crisis.
Context of the remarks
The deputy opened by associating himself with good wishes to Salim and Shane from the Abbey School in Tip and then turned to concerns about community welfare provision in his area.
Main complaint
McGrath said longstanding community welfare offices have been hidden away and removed from local visibility, accusing the move of preventing officers from giving out money and risking people being left to "starve and perish". He described the approach as "Grinch-type policies".
Service access problems
He emphasised practical access failures - a dedicated phone line that is frequently unanswered, local clinics that run only two or three times a week, and inter-office staff who are working hard but cannot be reached under the new system.
Exchange in the chamber
Mr O'Brien replied that the change has been developing for some years and framed it as a move to a more integrated service. He said participation and take-up figures rose last year and offered to send data to the deputy.
Follow-up and procedural notes
The deputy asked for factual details and Mr O'Brien said he would provide figures on participation and those who were given assistance under the scheme. The exchange ended with a request for Mr Connelly to speak.
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Good morning, good teacher, I want to be associated with the good wishes Salim and Shane as well from the Abbey School in Tip and they performed very well yesterday as usual. Teacher, the removal of the community welfare offices from villages and now towns is a really great step. While we have excellent staff in the inter-offices throughout Tipperary who worked very, very hard, the removal of the CWO offices. In this severe cost of living crisis, your teacher actually told him when he was telling people to go to the community welfare offices, they can't find them now. You also have introduced a dedicated phone line, so you can't phone the local offices where they use their clinics maybe twice a week or three times a week. And you can't get through on that phone either. So it looks like it's a hell of a conduct for the people who want assistance from the community welfare offices. You can't find them because the phone line isn't being answered, you can't get through, and the officers in the inter-offices are doing very hard work. The community welfare office did brilliant work over the decades that I'm involved in public life and still want to do it. But it's hide-and-seek now, you've hidden them away in some back offices. You don't want them to give out money to people. Do you want people to starve and perish and be miserable? It really is Grinch-type policies that you're introducing. Mr O'Brien, do you say sure? No, sir. If that's okay. I'll take it. It looks okay. Basically, Deputy, you know that this has been on the way for quite some time, for quite a number of years now in terms of the change, and basically a more integrated service has been provided for any individual who finds themselves in difficulties. And my understanding is, and I get figures, that the numbers went up last year in terms of participation, and those who applied and were given assistance under the scheme. So I think it would be important if we got the facts and the details of that, and I can certainly send them on to the Deputy in respect of how the participation levels in the scheme. Mr. Connelly, please. Mr. Connelly, please. Okay.
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