Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when it is intended to publish the local authority customer service charter as promised in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27589/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The programme for Government contains a commitment to put customer service in local authorities to the forefront of local government reform. This was addressed in the Green Paper on Local Government Reform, which I launched in April 2008. The Green Paper is undergoing nationwide consultation, which will feed into a White Paper by the end of the year. In this regard, I look forward to constructive comments and suggestions as to how quality customer service in local authorities can be further improved. A local authority customer service charter setting out customer service standards is one of the steps which will be addressed in the context of the reform process. In the interim, quality customer service in the local government sector is one of my priorities. It has been a key pillar of the local government modernisation programme over the past decade. Significant progress has been made by local authorities in service delivery under the programme. This has been confirmed by the performance verification group for the sector under the national partnership arrangements. Substantial support and resources have been provided by my Department to local authorities on specific initiatives in the area of customer service. These include €31 million to support a one-stop-shop programme, which will make access to services and information easier and more efficient for customers. A further €9.8 million has been provided to improve efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery through the use of information technology. Many local authority services, including planning and motor tax, are now more accessible on-line.

As part of the modernisation programme, a Local Government Customer Service Group, representative of my Department, the local government sector at both elected member and official level and the Institute of Public Administration, was put in place to develop and promote specific customer service initiatives. A number of initiatives have been introduced, including local authority service indicators, under which authorities report annually to me as Minister on their performance across 42 indicators. The indicators, which were a first for the public service, are quality assured by an Independent Assessment Panel. The Local Government Customer Service Group recently completed a review of the indicators, resulting in a number of additions and amendments which will apply from 2008. The group has issued separate guidelines to local authorities on best practice in handling customer complaints and engaging in customer consultation. In addition, a high level Task Force on Customer Service, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and on which my Department and the local government sector are represented, was established in September 2007. The task force is charged with promoting quality customer service across the entire public service, including local government. While the significant progress made by local authorities in the area of customer service generally should be acknowledged, I am committed to ensuring they continue to intensify their efforts in this most important area.