Vol. 517 No. 6
120 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the sections of the Department which restrict the time available to take calls form the public; the length of time this has been ongoing; the nature of the restrictions; the proposals, if any, she has to remedy this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10750/00]
In line with the aims of the strategic management initiative to deliver better Government, the policy of my Department is to increase rather than restrict the time available to take calls from the public. To this end, a dedicated central information and communications unit has been in operation in the Department since July 1998. The unit is available to take calls from the public between 09.15 and 17.30 Monday to Friday.
A separate information unit is also operating in the employment rights division of my Department. This unit provides a dedicated telephone information service to the public in relation to employee rights-entitlements under employment legislation. The service is provided continuously during regular office hours but where special circumstances arise as, for example, when new legislation is introduced extended hours of service are provided through a combination of overtime work and the temporary assignment of additional staffing resources to the unit.
A voicemail facility has also been in place in my Department since 1994. All officials who have contact with the public have been instructed to make use of this facility to ensure public access should they be absent from the office. A LoCall facility is also available in the Department.
For those of our customers with internet access, the Department can be contacted seven days a week without any time restriction. The worldwide web address is www.irlgov.ie/entemp and this is published in my Department's FOI manual and other publications emanating from the Department.
While I am conscious of the progress made to enhance service to our customers, I am aware that there is always room for improvement in this regard. In the framework of the strategic management initiative in general and the interdepartmental quality customer service group in particular, my officials are actively examining ways in which the overall aim of enhanced customer service delivery can be achieved.
