department of social and family affairs annual report 2006 - Welfare.ie

the department - its
business and organisation
> The main functions of the
Department are:
- to formulate appropriate social protection
policies;
- to administer and manage the delivery
of statutory and non-statutory social and
family schemes and services; and
- to work with other Departments and
agencies in the delivery of Government
priorities.
The main business of the Department continues
to be the provision of income support, including
insurance (PRSI) based payments, social assistance
(means tested) payments, associated secondary
benefits and universal schemes such as child
benefit. The Department is also responsible for
the provision, either directly or indirectly through
its agencies, of other services designed to support
individuals and families in participating actively in
society. This also requires collaboration with other
Government Departments and Agencies and with
the voluntary and community sector.
Social Welfare Services (SWS) is the executive
arm of the Department and is responsible for the
administration and management of social welfare
schemes and services through a network of local,
regional and other offices. Our main offices are
located in Dublin, Dundalk, Letterkenny, Longford,
Sligo and Waterford.
Regional Structure: The local delivery of some
services and control related activities is structured
on a regional basis. Within these regions there is a
network of 58 Social Welfare Local Offices (SWLOs)
and 68 Branch Offices (SWBOs).
Social Welfare Appeals Office is the independent
Office responsible for determining appeals
against decisions on social welfare entitlements.
The Reach agency (www.reachservices.ie), which
reports to the Department, was established to
promote radical improvement in public service
delivery by developing a range of common
services for Departments and agencies to be
delivered through the Public Sector Broker (PSB).
> Organisation of the Department
The Department employs over 4,700 people and
is structured on Aireacht/Executive lines.
the department
The Aireacht provides a range of corporate
services comprising Personnel (including the
Employee Assistance Service), Corporate and Staff
Development Units, Finance, and Internal Audit.
It also includes the policy area - the Planning
Division - which is responsible for the formulation
of social protection and other social support
policies, the preparation of legislation and for
the provision of policy support and advice to the
Minister.
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