Almost 680,000 queries were handled by the State’s Citizens’ Advice Centres last year, an increase of 40 per cent on 2002, new figures show.
Minister for Social Affairs Seamus Brennan said social welfare queries accounted for almost one third of all queries, followed by employment, health services and health payments.
A total of 676,846 queries were received by the Citizens’ Information Service through its network of 98 centres and 143 outreach services. Dublin accounted for 217,151 (32 per cent) of the queries. Donegal had the second highest level of inquiries at 47,626.
The number of phone queries increased by 75 per cent last year to 73,000.
The Oasis website, which provides information on social and civil rights issues, was accessed some 1.8 million times, an increase of some 80 per cent.
Issues dealt with by the Citizens' Information Service included social welfare queries (30 per cent), employment (13 per cent), health services (9 per cent) and health board payments (7 per cent). The rest of the queries related to family matters, law and justice, housing, tax, education, consumer issues and debt.
Speaking on a visit to Co Tipperary, Mr Brennan said the latest statistics clearly demonstrate the extent of the public's need for information on entitlements and rights.
"The Citizens’ Information Centres and outreach services provide a valuable and easily accessible network of information points that reach into every corner of the country," he said.
"The provision of information on the scale provided helps break down barriers, eases anxieties, opens up opportunities and often clears the way for citizens, particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, to improve their situations.
Mr Brennan was opening the Tipperary Citizens’ Information Service in Thurles.
The network of centres is supported by Comhairle, a statutory body operating under the Department of Social Affairs. Comhairle will receive €21 million from the department this year, some €9 million of which will pay for the Citizens’ Information Service.