Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Apr 2003

Vol. 564 No. 5

Written Answers - Departmental Voicemail Facilities.

Bernard Allen

Question:

419 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the capacity of his Department's telephone voicemail system in terms of the maximum number of voicemail boxes supported by the system; the number of voicemail boxes in use at 1 April; the percentage of administrative staff who do not have voicemail facilities; the reason voicemail is not available to all administrative staff; his views on whether the public would be better served if able to leave messages for officials on voicemail after normal business hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9773/03]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

The telephone voicemail systems currently in place in my Department can support all those staff currently on the main telephone systems. There were 499 voicemail boxes in use at 1 April. Approximately 60% of administrative staff do not currently have voicemail facilities. Decisions regarding the implementation of voicemail in the business units of my Department are made by the heads of those units having regard to the nature of the work involved and, in particular, to the extent to which the availability of voicemail will have a significant impact on quality customer service.

The availability of voicemail in conjunction with the facilities to dial in directly to extensions in my Department enables messages to be left for officials on a 24 hour basis.