Dáil debates

Tuesday, 12 December 2006

Ceisteanna — Questions

Departmental Programmes.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation of his Department's quality customer service charter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37094/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation of his Department's quality customer service charter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40253/06]

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

My Department's quality customer service charter was published in April 2004 and has been distributed to staff and customers. The charter is displayed around the Department in a number of appropriate locations. The charter is also available on the Department's website and a link is attached to all outgoing e-mails.

Under the charter, the Department measures customer service performance and reports on this in its annual report. Methods used include customer feedback, annual surveys, mystery shopping, interviews and focus groups. The 2006 customer survey has been completed and almost 450 external customers were surveyed. Initial analysis shows broadly favourable findings. Overall, the results show consistently high scores in relation to the quality of our services. There was an increase in the awareness of the Department's complaints procedure and an increase in those who had noticed an improvement in the service quality. This improvement is mainly due to a general view that the Department's staff were very efficient and courteous, prompt e-mail response times and the layout of the Department's website.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Gabhaim comhghairdeas leis an Teachta Haughey as a cheapachán mar Aire Stáit. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh go maith leis agus guím gach rath air. Tá sé tuillte aige — b'fhéidir go bhfuil sé thar am ach sin scéal eile.

Does the quality customer service charter of the Department of the Taoiseach include a mechanism for evaluation? The on-line Irish Statute Book, which we have discussed before, falls short of the quality customer service charter and is not the reliable database it should be. We previously discussed the equivalent in other jurisdictions. Does the Taoiseach still hold the view that decentralisation will not create difficulties for customer service standards?

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The question refers specifically to the Department of the Taoiseach.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Indeed it does, and so does decentralisation.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to confine himself to a question relating to the Department of the Taoiseach.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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The Taoiseach will know, as does the Ceann Comhairle, that decentralisation is relevant to his Department.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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This refers specifically to the Department of the Taoiseach.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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It is obviously relevant. The Taoiseach must deal with all Departments.

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach's Department is not being decentralised.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I am sure the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, is trying to be helpful.

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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As always.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not want this to arise every time questions are taken.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I am sure he realises the Department of the Taoiseach must interface even with his Department. I will ask a question relating to the Department of the Taoiseach before the Ceann Comhairle asks me to sit down. It concerns the quality customer service charter standards for doing business through Irish. I recently spoke to a civil servant who was unable to say who would deal with queries through Irish. Should the Taoiseach not review that aspect of the quality customer service charter? It is one thing to put something down on paper, but will every civil servant be able to say who will deal with queries through Irish? It would be ideal if the person to whom I referred could do so, but the person was from England and had no Irish.

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I dealt with the Deputy's first supplementary question in a recent reply. The matter relates to the Office of the Attorney General and is not covered by my Department's charter.

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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It is covered by the charter.

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is covered by my Department but is not by the departmental charter. It is in the domain of the Attorney General, which also comes under my area of responsibility. I replied on that issue in detail approximately two weeks ago and it is being addressed. It will take us some time to resolve that issue, though hopefully not too long into the new year. The South African company originally responsible for the matter has been contacted. It is regretted that it happened but attempts are being made to resolve it.

My Department is not being decentralised but there are no difficulties in dealing with other Departments. We have our own procedures for dealing with our clients and that is well covered in our charter.

Deputy Sargent raised on a number of occasions the issue of dealing with queries through Irish, including by e-mail. My Department tries to deal with such queries within each section. There is no problem with correspondence via e-mail but difficulties arise when people ring the office. Sections in my Department have endeavoured to each have at least one person who is adequately able to write and speak in Irish. To the best of my knowledge, some sections have a number of such people, but other sections have only one. That is the Department's policy and the management team of the Department has tried to address the matter. There can be some difficulties if the person is out from work, which can happen, but sections try to ensure adequate cover.

As the Deputy will appreciate, quite a number of sections dealing with commemorations and other issues, such as Northern Ireland, have many dealings through Irish, but some sections do not. It is policy that no matter how small the section — a number of my Department's sections are very small — it tries to ensure one person who would be——

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Should everyone not know who the person is?

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes. I will communicate the Deputy's point.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Ar an cheist chéanna, mar gheall ar na scéimeanna i dtaobh na dteangacha oifigiúla atá aontaithe ag an Roinn, deir sé sa chairt do chustaiméirí go gcuirfear na scéimeanna ar bun faoi dháta a n-aontaítear leis an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta agus go gcuirfear na scéimeanna i bhfeidhm taobh istigh den tréimhse ama aontaithe chun na custaiméirí a shásamh maidir leis na seirbhísí a chuirtear ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. As Béarla, the customer charter of the Department of the Taoiseach states regarding the Irish language:

Official languages scheme in place by date agreed with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs;

Scheme implemented within agreed framework;

Customer satisfaction levels with services provided through Irish.

The Taoiseach gave some indication of how the different parts are working, but will he report on progress in respect of the delivery of the full scheme, part of which is to have someone on standby at all times? Will this——

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Does the Deputy's question relate to the Department of the Taoiseach?

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I am referring to that Department's customer service charter.

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I stated in reply to Deputy Sargent, a number of sections in my Department have quite a number of dealings through Irish, but other sections do not. Sections with ongoing dealings through the Irish language have a number of people who can deal with telephone calls or callers to the Department. The Department does not receive many visitors due to the nature of its work, but it receives correspondence, e-mails and telephone calls.

Some of the smaller sections dealing with other issues may not have many people, but the policy is to try to ensure at least one person with ability in Irish per section. Some sections are quite small and may not always have such a person, but larger sections have a number of people who can deal with matters through Irish on a daily basis.

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I offer my congratulations to Deputy Haughey on his appointment as a Minister of State and wish him well in the conduct of his Ministry.