Staff in Kerry Citizens Information Service centres have raised concerns about the reduction in opening hours of centres across the county.
Offices in Killarney, Listowel, Kenmare and Cahersiveen have all seen changes in opening times with phone calls to those offices being redirected to the main Tralee office. Several of Kerry's Citizens Information Service centres can now only be accessed on an emergency basis.
South Munster CIS has confirmed the closure of the Listowel office however Radio Kerry understands that the Killarney office is only open once every fortnight for emergency appointments. A source says that the Cahersiveen and Kenmare offices are both open for emergency consultations, but all calls from regional centres have been routed through the main office in Tralee.
Staff at the centres fear the changes could be a move towards a complete phasing out of the service, which they say is vital for minority groups and the elderly.
The changes also follow a major reduction in staffing levels, after volunteers were stood down at the beginning of the pandemic.
South Munster CIS says it's looking at service delivery options in Listowel but are not currently in a position to give definitive answers or timelines.
