Written answers
Tuesday, 9 July 2024
Department of Education and Skills
Departmental Communications
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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369. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide the number and detail of the public helplines operated by her Department; whether calls are recorded on each helpline; and if not, whether she would consider recording calls for transparency and training purposes. [29990/24]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Contact details for my department’s business units are detailed at gov - About the Department of Education (www.gov.ie). 27 business units have been identified as operating 52 helplines and general contact numbers that are used to process requests for information and follow up on applications.
The departments main switchboard numbers in the three sites, Dublin, Athlone and Tullamore, are operated by the Customer Support Unit and can also assist customers to contact the relevant business unit.
There are currently no plans to record calls on helplines to the department.
The information as requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached table.
| Business unit | Helpline/helpdesk/contact no. | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Customer Support Unit at main department switchboard | General contact numbers | 01 889 6400 Dublin 090 648 3600 Athlone 057 932 4300 Tullamore |
| 2. Minister’s Office | General contact number | 01 889 2335 |
| 3. Data Protection Unit | General contact number | 090 648 3908 |
| 4. An tAonad um Oideachas Gaeltachta | General contact number for queries relating to Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme | 01 889 6408 |
| General contact number | 057 9325466 | |
| Sligo, Limerick, Mayo | 057 9324482 | |
| Dublin | 057 9325461 057 9324414 057 9324459 | |
| Cork | 057 9325462 057 9324397 | |
| Monaghan, Wexford | 057 9325436 | |
| Carlow, Laois, Wicklow | 057 9325458 | |
| Donegal, Kerry, Longford | 057 9325465 | |
| Kilkenny, Roscommon | 057 9325457 | |
| Galway | 057 9324397 | |
| Offaly, Clare, Cavan | 057 9324454 | |
| Kildare, Louth, Waterford | 057 9324360 | |
| 5. School Transport and specific contact numbers for staff in the section who deal with a particular county. | Leitrim, Westmeath, Meath, Tipperary | 057 9325455 |
| 6. Strategic Capacity Planning | School Capacity Survey Helpline number | 057 932 4461 |
| 7. Statistics Section | Helpline - Primary Online Database Support | 01 889 2311 |
| 8. Residential Institutions Redress Unit | Survivor Engagement line for Scoping Inquiry | 090 6483610 |
| 9. Social Inclusion Unit | Helpline - Procurement Support for Junior Cycle Schoolbooks Scheme and Primary Schoolbooks Scheme | 01 8892089 |
| 10. Inspectorate | General contact number | 01 8896553 |
| 11. ESBS Finance Helpdesk | Helpdesk | 01 8892156 |
| 12. ETB Payroll | ETB Payroll Helpdesk | 01 889 2398 |
| 13. Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAP): Irish Exemption Policy | General contact number | 01 889 2257 01 889 2384 |
| 14. Schools Division: Irish Exemption Appeal | General contact number | 090 648 3999 090 648 3896 090 648 4030 |
| 15. Parents & Learners Unit - Child Protection | Helpline | 090 648 4099 |
| 16. Parents & Learners Unit - Parental Complaints | Helpline | 090 648 3660 |
| 17. Parents & Learners Unit - Home Tuition | Helpline - following up on applications | 090 648 4108 |
| 18. Teacher/SNA Terms and Conditions Section | General contact number | 090 648 3734 |
| 19. Pensions Customer Service Unit | General contact number 2:30pm - 5:30pm (Monday to Friday) | 090 6484189 |
| 20. Pensions Finance Unit | Helpline - Public Service Pension Reduction recoupments 10am - 12pm (Monday to Thursday) | 090 6484173 |
| 21. Teacher Education Section | General contact number | 090 648 3786 |
| 22. Special Education | General contact number | 090 648 4187 |
| 23. SNA Workforce Development Unit | General contact number | 090 645 1357 |
| 24. Special Education Summer Programme | General contact number | 090 648 4292 |
| 25. Communications Unit | Press office contact number | 01 889 6400 |
| 26. Schools Financial and Database Section | PPOD Helpdesk | 090 648 4128 090 648 3870 090 648 4279 090 648 4286 090 648 3668 090 645 1372 090 648 3897 |
| 27. Special Needs and Tuition Grants Unit | General contact number | 090 648 3996 |
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