Ennis CIC celebrates 21 years

The Ennis CIC celebrated its 21st Anniversary on the 7th February 2003. A special recognition by Ennis Town Council was held for Board members, staff and volunteers at the Queens Hotel Ennis. Mayor of Ennis Cllr. Peter Considine commended the service for its sterling service to the Town of Ennis over the past twenty one years. He stressed the importance of a quality, independent information service about social services and social welfare entiltlements. Founded in 1972 under the auspices of Clare Community Care with its premises located at Brooks lane Ennis he centre was first affiliated to the National Social Service Board on the 1st July 1981. The founding volunteers were interdenominational and ladies from the Widow Association were among its first volunteers.

From modest beginning in the 1980s the centre now occupies a prime premises which is fully accessible and located in the centre of town. Part of a network of 85 independent Citizens Information Centres (CICs) representing a key provider of social service information, advice and advocacy to members of the general public.

Lack of finance in the early days was responsible for the service not developing to its full potential. However in the mid 1990s more Government funding was made available through grants which enabled the CIC to be equipped with up to date databases and IT equipment. The centre was solely managed and run by a team of dedicated volunteers until 1999, in which the centre was incorporated into the County Clare Citizens Information Service. A Development Manager for the County was appointed and fulltime staff were employed to deliver the service in tandem with the volunteers.

A key measure of whether members of the general public are gaining access to information services is the level of queries to the Centres. The Ennis CIC is seeing a constant rise in the number of people who ring and call personally to seek information and advice. On average over 1100 queries are dealt with monthly ranging from social welfare , health, employment law, consumer, taxation and family law.

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