Social Welfare’s one stop shop

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, has officially opened Galway’s new one stop shop for social welfare payments, serving the city and the majority of the county as well.

The new Intreo Centre in Galway city at Fairgreen Road provides a full range of social welfare services that had previously been provided from five separate offices throughout the city.

Now, customers, for the first time, have a single point of contact in one location in Galway city.  The catchment area for this new Intreo Centre is Galway city and its hinterland including east to Oranmore and Athenry, north to Claregalway and towards Headford and West including Oughterard and most of South Connemara and the Aran Islands.

Some 150 Department of Social Protection staff are based in the Intreo Centre which is headed up by Divisional Manager, Eoin Brown.   Almost 16,000 customers will be assisted through this office which includes income supports and tailored employment supports for jobseekers.

The new Intreo service in Galway will reduce waiting times for jobseeker payments, significantly improve customer service and, for the staff, the working environment has been transformed.

“Intreo has been a key element of the Government’s response to the high unemployment levels and it supports the objectives set out in Pathways to Work strategy to tackle unemployment.  It links the payment of income supports with supports offered to jobseekers in their efforts trying to find work,” the Tánaiste said.

“The type of support provided by Intreo is customised to each person’s skills, experience and qualifications.  A tailored progression plan is discussed and agreed by the jobseeker and their case officer.

“Intreo Galway provides a one-stop-shop for jobseekers where they can get their income and employment supports in the one place for the first time.  Previously, the Department’s services were situated in five different locations around the city,” she added.

The Tánaiste acknowledged the support of employers in Galway city and its environs in working with the Department of Social Protection by offering placements for jobseekers.

A team of 19 Activation Case Officers are currently working in Intreo in Galway with jobseekers.

There’s a broad range of employment supports available to jobseekers and local employers are key to the effectiveness of these supports.  Recent recruitment drives include collaboration with the Irish Hotels Federation and a number of local agencies and nursing homes.

In Galway, five companies have registered for the First Steps Youth Development Internship to date while 31 companies across the county have signed up to the Employment and Youth Activation Charter.

“This new Intreo Centre in Galway is an excellent example of how the Department of Social Protection has moved on from being a passive financial pay-hatch of old to a pro-active support for its customers.

“I am very pleased to see the Department and local employers engaging with each other, both with the same objective, to help create work and improve the standards of living for all society,” added the Tánaiste.