Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

The quality customer service working group was established in 1999 to oversee the development of the quality customer service initiative. This initiative has been, and remains, an important and proactive element of the modernisation programme for the Civil Service. The working group, which reports to the implementation group of secretaries-general, is currently chaired by Mr. Frank Daly, Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, and includes representatives from Departments and offices, Civil Service unions, business, consumer and equality interests.

The working group performs an important role in developing policies to ensure improvements in the level of service that the public receives from the Civil Service. It has overseen a significant amount of progress since 1999, through its own work programme and through its sub-groups and networks.

Central to this work has been the creation of customer service action plans and the recent publication of customer charters, which set out the levels of service that customers can expect. Customer charters have now been produced in all Departments and offices, and an external assessment of this process will take place in 2006. Departments and offices are also required to evaluate in their annual reports progress made on their customer charters.

There are a number of other groups involved in the quality customer service area. The quality customer service officers' network is central to delivering service improvements in Departments and offices. The network meets regularly and acts as a communications vehicle for all Departments and offices to promote quality service and to exchange information on best practice and initiatives. There are also a number of other sub-groups which address specific issues as required.

It should be acknowledged that improvements in the level of customer service ultimately depend on the commitment of management and staff at the level of each Department and office. I have no doubt that this is the case and all the progress to date supports this view.

The quality customer service working group, and its sub-groups and networks, have helped to deliver significant improvements in recent years and will ensure further improvements in the future.

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