‘Ours is a story still in the making’: Citizens Information celebrates 50 years

“I was extremely unsure about how to go about applying for housing under medical grounds. After visiting the Citizens Information not only have they armed me with information, they are actively helping me through the application process. Amazing service!”

The opening paragraph is a comment from a client of Citizens Information in 2025 as the Citizens Information Network celebrates 50 years.

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The service began in the 1970s when the National Social Service Council in conjunction with local community groups throughout Ireland, identified the need for generalist information services to help “bridge the information gap between State services and the public.”

That need still remains with many people struggling to know what their rights and entitlements are and the advent of digitalisation of many services proving difficult for some groups in society.

In February 1974, a conference in Dun Laoghaire called the ‘Right to Know’ identified the need for such a service and the then Minister Frank Cluskey committed to fund a nationwide network.

On July 8, 1975, the first 25 centres were officially registered, this grew to 33 by the end of 1975 and 83 by 1979.

Today the network is made up of eight Individual Citizens Information Service companies and the Citizens Information Phone Service, supported and funded by the Citizen Information Board (CIB).

Each Citizens Information Service covers a geographical area within its region as follows:

North Dublin, Dublin South, North Connacht & Ulster, North Leinster, North Munster, South Connacht, South Leinster and South Munster. The Citizens Information Phone Service, CIPS, based in Cork provides a Nationwide service.

Over 90 offices around the country provide a face to face service to clients across a wide range of topics.

In 2024, the Citizens Information Nationally dealt with 767,068 queries. North Leinster CIS alone dealt with 73,697 callers, resulting in 134,765 queries, spread across their five service areas of Meath, Louth, Westmeath, Longford and Kildare.

Citizens Information look forward to the future where they can continue to assist members of the public and ensure a free, impartial Information, Advice & Advocacy Service remains available.

45% of queries relate to social welfare with employment, housing, education, health, migration etc making up the rest of the queries.

1975 was an important chapter in the history of Citizens Information and on the anniversary of the registration of the first 25 centres, Citizens Information celebrates the people who built these services and look forward to the next chapters in our story.

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For more information visit www.citizensinformation.ie, drop into your local Citizens Information Service or telephone the Citizens Information Phone Service at 0818 07 4000.

Co Longford Citizens Information Service provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel: 0818 075890
Address: Level One, Longford Shopping Centre, Longford, N39 X090