Press release: 20th January 2015

SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM FAILING MIGRANTS, SAYS NEW REPORT

Today a coalition of NGOs, including Limerick-based migrant support organisation Doras Luimni, launch a report that is critical of how the Department of Social Protection deals with migrants. The report, called “Person or Number? 2: A second examination of issues faced by immigrants in accessing social protection in Ireland”, will be launched on 20st January 2015, at 11am, at Crosscare, Dublin 2.

Irish human rights organisations, including Doras Luimní, FLAC, Nasc and Crosscare, have come together to publish the report, which examines the issues faced by migrants in Ireland when they apply for social protection.Entitled Person or Number? 2, the report is a follow up to a 2012 report and is based on a random thirty-five case sample of migrants who access DSP’s service, including case studies from Limerick, and an online survey with thirty-seven managers of citizen information services nationally.

The first Person or Number?report was launched in 2012 by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton. A Migrant Consultative Forum (MCF) made up of representatives from NGOs and the Department was set up based on a recommendation made in that report. With the support of the Minister for Social Protection, the MCF has made significant headway in bringing about positive reforms in the DSP’s customer service and raising awareness of issues impacting migrants.

The new report will be launched by Minister of State for Equality, New Communities and Culture Aodhán Ó Riordáin. The launch event will be chaired by Noeline Blackwell, Director of FLAC.

The report iscritical of how the Department of Social Protection deals with immigrants and identifies key shortcomings including:

  • Customer service issues in the Department of Social Protection including rudeness, inappropriate behaviour, inappropriate or abusive languageand instances of racism.
  • Basic administrative procedures, tasks and duties not always being carried out by Deciding Officers and Designated Persons, leading to incorrect refusals of payments.
  • The Community Welfare Service in particular found to have poor service levels.
  • Interpreters not always being provided to people when there is a clear need.
  • Omission of key pieces of information by officials in their dealings with the public continues to be an issue.

Karen McHugh, CEO of Doras Luimni said “The Department of Social Protection has made significant progress in terms of their dealings with migrant issues and we very much value their cooperation on these matters of relevance to our clients. However, as this report makes clear, some migrants continue to face a multitude of barriers and difficulties when it comes to accessing social welfare.”

McHugh continued, “In particular, customer service issues are evident from case studies throughout the country, which in some instances amounted to abusive language and behaviour. In Limerick, we are fortunate to have a good working relationship with officials from the Department, but it is clear that on the whole there are considerable improvements to be made in order to bring it to an adequate standard of public service.”

There are nineteen recommendations in the report which include:

  • the establishment of a Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Implementation Unit in the Department to raise the quality of practice and decision making at the front line and
  • the introduction of name badges for frontline staff would improve customer service, decision making and accountability

Noeline Blackwell, Director of FLAC stated that:

What is needed in our view is a cultural change in how the Department does business with people. This view has been echoed by an external report done for the Department last year which also recognises internal difficulties in dealing with underperformance by some members of staff. There is little doubt that frontline officials of the Department of Social Protection have faced unprecedented pressure in recent years however the people coming to them deserve the best possible response.

ENDS

Editor Notes:

  • Doras Luimní is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisationbased in Limerick. Our mission is to promote and uphold the human rights and wellbeing of migrants through personal advocacy, integration development and collaborative advocacy campaigns at the local and national level.
  • The Person or Number? 2 report is available to view online here.

Contact information:

Leonie Kerins, Direct Support Manager, Doras Luimní, Central Buildings, 51A O’Connell Street, Limerick.Telephone: 061 310 328 Email: