The Irish Social Welfare System provides supports and services to people at various stages of their lives. The Department of Social and Family Affairs is responsible for the delivery of a range of social insurance and social assistance schemes including provision for
· Families and Children
· Unemployment
· In employment / Farming
· Ill or disabled
· Carers
· Bereaved
· Retirement
· Old age.
Social Welfare Services are delivered through a network of local, regional and headquarters offices. The Northwest regional offices are located in Sligo.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for running the country’s health and personal social services. Many of the services are provided directly and they arise for the provision of the services by health professionals, private health services providers, voluntary hospitals and voluntary/community organisations.
If you are living in Ireland, you are entitled to a range of public health services, free of charge or subsidised by the Irish Government. Visitors from other EU and European Economic Area member states are entitled to urgent medical treatment without charge, provided that they present the form E1211, which should be obtained from the health authorities of their own country before travelling. An individual from one EU member state is entitled to medical benefits on the same basis as nationals in another member state as authorised by the competent institution in his/her own state. The competent institution in Ireland is the HSE.
Comhairleis responsible for the provision of independent information, advice and advocacy services for all citizens throughout the country including those with disabilities. Comhairle currently supports some 85 independent Citizen's Information Centres which are locally based and provide information on a wide range of social services and the National Citizen's Information Call Centre (Tel: 1890 777121). Comhairle has developed OASIS.gov.ie as a web-based source of information on public services.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is a free confidential and independent service that offers assistance to any person or family in dealing with their existing debt difficulties and help them to begin to manage their own resources. MABS also deliver Community Education Programmes.
The Garda Racial and Intercultural Office is responsible for advising, monitoring and co-ordinating police activity in Ireland around racial, ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.
Leitrim County Partnership works with a number of ethnic minority groups in Leitrim, including Travellors, refugees, asylum seekers and other non-national ethnic groups. Their main focus is in the areas of education, training, childcare and youth activities. The Partnership manages two Community Centres in Carrick and Mohill which cater for the Travellor community.