Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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400. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the customer charter is in operation at Swords Intreo office; if the charter will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21169/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department’s Customer Charter and Action Plan 2013-2015 sets out the level of service customers can expect when dealing with the Department and its commitment to provide a professional, efficient, courteous and timely service to its customers. My Department is committed to ensuring that a customer service ethos is embedded in everything it does and is embraced by everyone in the organisation.

Significant effort is made to ensure that the highest levels of customer service standards are provided by individual staff members and by the organisation, including a strong focus on customer service training for staff. The Customer Charter and Acton Plan is operational across the Department’s network of Intreo Centres, including Swords Intreo Centre. Work is underway on the draft Customer Charter and Action Plan 2016-2018, due to be published later this year.

The Department welcomes feedback from its customers through its Comments and Complaints system. If a customer is dissatisfied with the quality of service received, they can make a complaint in person at the Department’s public offices, by telephoning on LoCall 1890662244, by email to the Quality Customer Service Team atqcs@welfare.ie,on line by visiting the Contact Us area of our website www.welfare.ie,or in writing to Quality Customer Services, Social Welfare Services, College Road, Sligo.

Their complaint will be dealt with promptly, fairly and impartially. It will be acknowledged within three working days and dealt with within fifteen working days, where practicable. If the customer is unhappy with the outcome of the investigation, they can request to have the complaint reviewed by another officer, explaining why they are not satisfied with the response received. If, after a review, they are still not satisfied with the outcome, they can contact the Office of the Ombudsman, 18 Lower Leeson St, Dublin 2 or by email at ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie .

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.