In line with public health advice, footfall into our public Intreo offices has reduced dramatically as the majority of customers are now using our easy to use online portal www.MyWelfare.ie to apply for COVID-19 related income supports. We want to thank our customers for moving in such numbers to online and for respecting public health advice.

In the interests of continuing to observe the strict public health advice and to safeguard both our customers and our staff, the department has reduced our Intreo Centres public opening hours with effect from Friday 3 April.

These are emergency temporary measures and our opening hours will be kept under review.

These decisions have been taken to ensure that we focus our resources on processing the thousands of applications we receive as quickly as possible. This includes increasing our ability to engage directly with those customers’ whose applications contain incorrect information and we therefore have not been able to put into payment. This is a priority for the department.

We would like to reassure our customers that we will continue to be available to the public outside our Intreo Centres’ opening hours. We are using these reduced opening hours to substantially increase our capacity to process applications and the number of staff available to engage with customers directly through our dedicated contact centre (1890 800 024) by phone, email and online.

We would also like to remind people that the quickest and easiest way to submit an application for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, Jobseeker’s payment or an Enhanced Illness Benefit payment is to do so online via www.MyWelfare.ie.