Vol. 567 No. 5
445 Ms M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if progress has been made following her reply of 11 December 2002 to Parliamentary Question No. 202, regarding a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [14553/03]
There is no change in the position which was outlined in the Department's reply to Parliamentary Question No. 202 of 11 December 2002. The person concerned is currently working as a services officer in a Government Department in Dublin and is seeking a lateral transfer to Navan. There is currently no services officer post in my Department's local office in Navan. Navan local office and staff are to be relocated to new premises at end of June 2003. The question of appointing a service officer at the new premises will be reviewed at that time. In the event of a services officer post being required, the normal selection procedures will apply. The application of the person concerned for transfer has been noted and will be considered in that event.
446 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review staffing arrangements at the Sligo Office of her Department, in view of the fact that members of the public phoning that office are experiencing lengthy delays in having their calls answered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14611/03]
The pension services office in Sligo processes claims for old age and retirement pensions, survivors and one parent family payments and related household benefits. In addition to claim processing, it also carries out the maintenance functions related to these payments where changes arise affecting entitlements and to the normal control functions associated with this work. The volume of business is growing each year and the highest priority is given to processing applications and related maintenance work.
The work attracts a significant volume of phone calls. The extension of the Locall service to this office in October 2002 has provided an additional facility to customers in that regard. The volume of calls is sensitive to a variety of factors which can give rise to delays. The service is organised in designated phone banks so as to ensure that increased demand does not impact on claim processing and related activity affecting payments to the various customers which the office serves.
Every effort is being made to ensure a quality customer service for claimants under the various schemes and for the callers who telephone about their entitlements. The staffing levels for the office are also being examined as part of a review of the overall staffing levels in my Department. On an interim basis and pending completion of this review, additional staff have been assigned to claim processing areas in order to improve the service they were providing. This should have a positive knock-on effect for the telephone service. The overall position is being kept under continuing review and any measures to improve the level of service which are possible will be made.
