Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether the public is receiving adequate customer service in regard to inquiries regarding old age contributory pension entitlements; and if there is a direct telephone line which deals with such valid queries from the public. [15324/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all of its customers and is particularly concerned that high standards of service are maintained in respect of telephone enquires. Customer telephone enquiries in relation to State Pension Transition/Contributory (SPT/C) entitlements are dealt with by a special contact centre in the Social Welfare Services Office, Sligo. A dedicated team of 10 staff has been assigned to deal with SPT/C enquiries only, and the contact centre is actively monitored to ensure that optimum customer service is maintained. Average call volumes received by the contact centre from SPT/C customers over the first quarter of 2007 have been 1,500 per day (approx.).

There has been a disimprovement in the level of telephone services provided to people enquiring about SPT/C claims in recent months. There are a number of factors which have contributed to this disimprovement. There have been delays in processing of claims as a result of the increase in the number of claims received, enhancements to the schemes in September 2006, high levels of staff turnover and the introduction of a major business reorganisation and the introduction of a new IT system. In addition my Department has engaged in a programme of information to customers regarding changes and enhancements to payments. Three mailshots issued to customers in the period January 2007 to March 2007. A total of 190,000 approx. letters issued. Each of these mailshots resulted in a percentage of customers contacting the Department regarding their pension payments.

As a result the average number of calls per day has dropped from 1,500 in the first quarter of 2007 to 1,030 per day since beginning of April. My Department in its progress towards providing enhanced service to customers is developing a telephone strategy. The strategy aims to raise the profile and importance of telephone contact within the organisation, to enhance customer service through easier access and to improve organisational effectiveness and efficiency.

In the meantime, the management of the SPT/C Contact Centre continues to progress the provision of a quality service to the customer. As part of this approach it is intended to enhance the Interactive Voice Response, which is currently in use on the Sligo LoCall No. 1890 500 000, to make it easier for customers to get through to the correct area. Progress has been made in addressing the issues which gave rise to the high level of calls.