The Internal Revenue Service's Long Island offices welcomed residents hours before a partial government shutdown, now entering its second week, would force their temporary closure.

When the shutdown took effect Oct. 1, a contingency plan allowed for the agency to continue operations for five business days, concluding at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

A small number of customers arrived for appointments at Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Holtsville and Bethpage on the scheduled final day the offices remained open until lawmakers in Washington agree to restore funding.

In a statement Oct. 1, the IRS said for the first five days of the shutdown "operations will continue during this time with IRS offices maintaining regular hours, on-line self-service help tools available and other services to meet any

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