THE NORTH Munster Citizens Information offices took more than 100,000 queries across its 14 hubs, including in Limerick, last year.
The most frequently asked for advice is in relation to social welfare entitlements with a massive 45 per cent of all queries relating to entitlements and how to claim them.
Other major areas include employment, housing, education, health, and migration.
That’s according to figures published for the North Munster Citizens Information, which covers Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, and Waterford. The combined offices dealt with a total of 105,611 queries across 2024.
The national network is this year celebrating 50 years of Citizens Information, a service that has “consistently empowered the people of Ireland with access to clear, impartial, and vital information, advice, and advocacy.”
The journey began in the early 1970s when the National Social Service Council, working with local community groups, recognised a pressing need to bridge widening gaps between the public and the often-complex web of State services.
“Many people struggled — and continue to struggle — to understand their rights and entitlements, particularly with the growing shift toward digital platforms,” Citizens Information said.
This vision took a significant step forward at the Right to Know conference in February 1974 in Dún Laoghaire, where Minister Frank Cluskey committed to funding a nationwide information network.
On July 8, 1975, the first 25 Citizens Information Centres were officially registered. By the end of that year, the network had expanded to 33, and by 1979, it had grown to 83 centres nationwide.
Their services include: information on rights, entitlements, and responsibilities, help understanding and completing applications for social welfare payments, medical cards, Workplace Relations Commission complaints, Residential Tenancy Board issues, housing support including information on social housing and HAP, and representation at the Social Welfare Appeals Office, RTB, and WRC.
The Limerick Citizens Information offices also publishes a monthly column in this newspaper.
“As we reflect on this milestone, we remember the dedicated people who built this service in across North Munster over the last 50 years and the countless individuals who have walked through our doors seeking help. Their trust drives us forward,” a spokesman said.
For assistance, visit citizensinformation.ie, drop into the local Citizens Information Centre in Limerick, or phone 0818 075 780.
