Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on his commitment to establish a website to assist residents in reporting local problems to their councils, with a guarantee that officials will respond within two working days; if there has been a delay in introducing such a system; and when such delays will be overcome. [14243/12]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government, in keeping with his commitment to establish a web-based reporting platform to local authorities, his plans to provide a mobile application platform for citizens in order that they can report local issues to the local authority in real time and providing GPS data, to assist the local authority in the running, maintenance and upkeep of the local area. [14244/12]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will be instructing local authorities to adopt technology, for example mobile and web-based reporting tools, that will facilitate easier and better reporting by citizens of problems in their local area such as illegal dumping or potholes, which will then feed into performance indicators for the local authorities, improve their service delivery, and result in an improved interaction between the local authority and local residents, as well as obvious benefits for local businesses in view of the improved services in the area. [14245/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 to 397, inclusive, together.

Local authorities already have arrangements and applications in place which facilitate citizens in making complaints or suggestions or in reporting problems through various mediums, including by post, phone, text, fax, e-mail and on-line through their websites.

In the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department is working with local authorities in developing options for the enhancement of these arrangements which will further assist citizens in availing of local authority services and in reporting problems or faults to their local authority.

This has included engagement with the County and City Managers' Association and bilateral discussions with South Dublin County Council who have piloted an enhanced solution the www.Fixyourstreet.ie website which allows members of the public notify non-emergency issues such as graffiti, road defects, street lighting, drainage, litter and illegal dumping. To date, in excess of 2,400 reports have been uploaded onto the website. The average response time of South Dublin County Council to the queries raised in the last month (12 February to 12 March) was 1.3 days, less than the two working days deadline.

South Dublin County Council is currently assisting other local authorities with becoming involved with the FixYourStreet project and in this context, has recently facilitated two FixYourStreet information seminars (in December 2011 and February 2012) and plans to hold another next month. South Dublin County Council is also available to assist local authorities with technical or logistical issues around FixYourStreet.ie. I am given to understand that another local authority anticipates going live next month once the interface between their Customer Relationship Management software application and FixYourStreet is upgraded. I am advised that this will facilitate further roll-out to other local authorities.

The pilot website incorporates interactive mapping, allowing users to locate on an on-line map the precise location of the problem or issue being reported. The website also allows for a photograph/video of the issue to be submitted and uploaded if required. The reported issue is then "work flowed" to the relevant local authority staff member and responded to within the agreed two working days deadline. The system allows for the upload of progress updates to inform clients of the target dates for attention/resolution of the issue raised.

The system is also capable of providing statistical information and other management information on reported issues. Mobile phone applications are also being developed as an adjunct to the system which will enable users to report problems via their iPhone or Android mobile phone. The website is however already mobile enabled and if visiting www.FixYourStreet.ie from a mobile phone the client will get a mobile enhanced version of the website.