A NORTHSIDE community has been dealt a major blow with the imminent closure of yet another service in their area.
Northside People has learned that the Community Welfare Service provided from Larkhill Health Centre on Collins Avenue is to close, forcing welfare recipients in Santry and Whitehall to travel to Coolock and Marino to have their financial support dealt with.
It’s another big loss in the area, which has already seen the closure of Santry Post Office and Whitehall Garda Station and reduced hours in Santry Garda Station.
The changes to the provision of the Community Welfare Service in Whitehall are part of reconfiguration of services provided by the Department of Social Protection.
However, local TD Dessie Ellis (SF) said the closure of the service, which will take place in the coming weeks, is another denial of a service for local residents, especially those who are most vulnerable and in need of assistance.
“It’s just crazy and very frustrating to see yet another service taken from the Whitehall/Santry area,
? he told Northside People.
“It will force the most vulnerable in the area to make their way to Coolock and Marino which are a good distance away, especially when they often don’t have their own cars.
“It’s the final straw to take a service like this from the area in a time of such high unemployment.
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Deputy Ellis added:
“The closure of the post office and Whitehall Garda Station and now the Community Welfare Service is effectively a vote of no confidence in the area.
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Controversial cuts to policing resources saw the closure of Whitehall Garda Station in April with local policing centralised from Santry Garda Station.
However, the public counter in Santry Garda Station was also closed from 10pm to 8am as part of the cuts.
Santry Post Office closed on August 7 following the death of controversial Catholic campaigner, MÃne Bean UÃ ChribÃn.
In correspondence issued by the Department of Social Protection to Deputy Dessie Ellis (SF), the department confirmed that the public office of the Community Welfare Service in Larkhill Health Centre will close and customers would be transferred to neighbouring offices within the coming weeks.
“Since transferring to the Department of Social Protection the Community Welfare Service had been undertaking a process of transformation and reconfiguration of its services at both a national and local level as part of the process of developing and implementing a new business model known as the National Employment and Entitlements Service,
? the letter stated.
“Existing customers from the Santry and Turnapin areas will be transferred to Coolock Health Centre.
“Existing customers from the Beaumont and Whitehall areas will be transferred to Marino Health Centre.
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