Social Welfare Offices

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020

Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Ceisteanna (918, 919, 945)

Gino Kenny

Ceist:

918. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection when her Department plans to centralise and gather information from INTREO offices to obtain a national picture regarding complaints made by persons applying for a social welfare payment or persons in receipt of a social welfare payment in order that her Department gathers all complaints to her Department relating to the process of applications, reviews, appeals, inspections or other complaints to INTREO offices. [33314/20]

Gino Kenny

Ceist:

919. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason her Department does not, to date, centrally gather information from INTREO offices relating to complaints made by persons applying for a social welfare payment or persons in receipt of a social welfare payment to her Department in order that her Department can monitor application processes, review processes, appeal processes or inspections carried out in order that her Department can monitor complaints nationally or to determine if there are local problems with a particular INTREO office. [33315/20]

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

945. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which recipients of social welfare payments can make complaints against employees of her Department or those contracted to work for her Department, including details on the independence of this process and the way in which anonymity is preserved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33938/20]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 918, 919 and 945 together.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) always aims to provide the best possible customer service, ensuring all customers are served in a fair, courteous and timely manner, are informed of their rights, provided with full and clear information regarding entitlements and have their privacy respected.

Not every Intreo customer who presents with an issue to be resolved is making a formal complaint. Intreo staff work every day with customers to resolve issues and explain decisions to the satisfaction of the customer. Where a customer might be concerned, confused or at times dissatisfied, Intreo staff take their time to resolve issues to the satisfaction of the customer. These issues are not recorded as formal complaints.

Where a customer is subsequently unhappy about any aspect of their dealings with the Department, they can make a formal complaint at any time through the Department's website Gov.ie using the Customer feedback form. These formal complaints are recorded and managed centrally by the Department's dedicated Customer Service Unit.

Alternatively, any customer can make contact by phone, letter, or email a member of staff who will record the complaint on their behalf. Once a complaint is received, an acknowledgement is issued within three working days including a reference number. Complaints are then forwarded to the Customer Service Officer within the relevant business area to be investigated and responded to within 15 working days. If it is not possible to issue a response within that timeframe, an interim response will issue and provide an expected completion date. All complaints are dealt with promptly, fairly, impartially, and in confidence. The outcome of the investigation will be reflected in the final response.

If the response is not satisfactory, a review of the complaint can be requested, with an explanation as to why the customer is unhappy with the original response. A review is then conducted by another Customer Service Officer, in many cases the line manager of the original responder.

If the review does not resolve the issue, the complainant is advised that they can contact the Office of the Ombudsman to seek to have the matter examined by that office.

I hope this clarifies these matters for the Deputies.