Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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1421. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of complaints submitted to his 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [13784/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to providing a high quality service to all our customers. On occasion, it receives complaints from members of the public in relation to their interaction with the Department. My Department considers every complaint received and aims to resolve it within 15 working days, in accordance with our Quality Customer Service Charter. These complaints are reviewed in order to identify any potential service improvements.

The details requested by the Deputy in respect of 2017 and 2018 have previously been provided in reply to Question No 1206 of 15 January 2019. In 2019, apart from Met Éireann, my Department has received one complaint, a further one has progressed to the Office of the Ombudsman and none have been appealed.

The table below gives the number of complaints recorded by Met Éireann (a Division of my Department) on its customer service system and refer to a range of issues relating to its high profile service to the public. 56 of these complaints were in respect of the weather forecast with the balance following the introduction of Met Éireann’s new website and app, which would be expected in the early period following new services of this kind.