Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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83. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will investigate and review the public phone lines for the disability allowance office and consider a free phone number in view of the delays and often unanswered calls which is costing the public an unacceptable amount of money on phone credit (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26412/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Disability allowance receives approximately 13,000 telephone calls a month. The average time taken to answer a call in 2014, up to the end of May, was 3 minutes 55 seconds. The Department endeavors to provide the most responsive phone service possible to its customers. A call management system is in place across all headquarter buildings, including disability allowance, which allows managers to monitor and manage call volumes. It provides a flexible means of managing sudden peaks in customer demand and allows for the active management of calls by way of assigning, where feasible, more staff to the phone lines at peak periods. LoCall numbers have been in operation across the Department's scheme areas for many years. This system has worked successfully in conjunction with the Interactive Voice Response technology to facilitate customers making contact with the appropriate section of the Department, at a low cost to the caller. There are no plans to provide a single free phone number across the Department at this time. In addition to the telephone service the Department provides a range of contact channels for customers including e-mail, SMS (text), through our websiteand face-to- face. In line with the principles of quality customer service, the Department keeps its contact channels options under review in order to make full use of new and emerging technologies to broaden the choice of service delivery channels for customers.

Furthermore, to equip staff to deal effectively with customers, the Department provides training in customer service which includes communicating effectively with customers, effective telephone techniques, active listening and the importance of understanding and empathy. Training courses also include the raising of awareness of disability, mental health and diversity issues relevant to staff and customers.