2 June 2010 Edition
Movement on Back to School payment - Ó Caoláin
The Department of Social Protection has announced the recruitment of 105 additional temporary staff to administer the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. The announcement came after Sinn Féin Cavan-Monaghan Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin raised the issue in the Dáil, pointing to the danger of a repetition of the long delays in payments experienced by parents last year.
“The already overworked community welfare officers need additional assistance. The recruitment embargo should be lifted, extra staff should be hired even on a temporary basis and staff should be redeployed where appropriate,” Ó Caoláin said in the Dáil recently. “The bottom line is that people should not be forced to suffer further delays and hardship. The Government has already reduced social welfare payments. It has abolished the Christmas bonus completely. It has cut educational supports. Low-income families with children, who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet, must not be targeted again.”
Replying, Minister of State Seán Connick said it was “timely and most appropriate” for the issue to be raised. He confirmed for the Sinn Féin TD that additional staff had been secured to ensure timely treatment of the applications.
“The already overworked community welfare officers need additional assistance. The recruitment embargo should be lifted, extra staff should be hired even on a temporary basis and staff should be redeployed where appropriate,” Ó Caoláin said in the Dáil recently. “The bottom line is that people should not be forced to suffer further delays and hardship. The Government has already reduced social welfare payments. It has abolished the Christmas bonus completely. It has cut educational supports. Low-income families with children, who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet, must not be targeted again.”
Replying, Minister of State Seán Connick said it was “timely and most appropriate” for the issue to be raised. He confirmed for the Sinn Féin TD that additional staff had been secured to ensure timely treatment of the applications.