Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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604. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of complaints submitted to her Department in 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019; the number of appeals made with respect to the outcome of such complaints; the number referred to the Office of the Ombudsman; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13774/19]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Customers who wish to complain about the quality of customer service provided by my Department can submit a complaint under the Department’s complaint procedures. These procedures, along with the Department’s customer charter and customer action plan, were updated recently in accordance with the customer service actions outlined for implementation in “Our Public Service 2020”. In keeping with best practice, the Department’s complaint procedures provide an accessible, transparent and user - friendly system of dealing with complaints about the quality of service received which are available on the Department's website. These complaint procedures do not, however, provide for complaints relating to business decisions taken by the Department e.g. the non-granting of an employment permit. Appropriate appeal mechanisms are available for these situations.

Complaints made about the quality of customer service provided by the Offices of my Department fall to be dealt with under the complaint procedures developed by each Office having regard to their business needs and appropriate appeal mechanisms are available for business decisions taken by the Offices of the Department.

The following table outlines the number of complaints received over the period 2017 and 2018 and to date in 2019.