The Department of Justice and Equality Customer Service Charter 2016 – 2018
 
Purpose of this Charter

The purpose of this Customer Service Charter is to set out the standard of service and behaviour which should underpin our interactions with all customers.

Our Commitment to you

Providing a good service to our clients is very important to us and we aim to achieve this by:

• Giving our customers the best possible service and advice
• Treating everyone in a proper, fair and impartial manner while at all times remaining courteous and sensitive
• We aim to ensure that rights to equal treatment set out in equality legislation are upheld in the delivery of our services
• We aim to meet any special needs our customers may have, where possible.

In order to assist us in providing the best possible customer service it would be helpful if our customers would:

• Have their reference number/accurate relevant details to hand when making enquires in relation to ongoing dealings with the Department;
• Treat our staff with courtesy and respect and listen to their guidance as they endeavour to provide you with the most comprehensive and efficient response to your query.

This fosters an environment of mutual respect between staff in the Department and those we serve.

Communications

Telephone

• Our aim is to answer all calls quickly
• We will identify ourselves and our area of work, where appropriate
• We will be polite and helpful, and do our best to provide people with clear and correct information.

We understand that members of the public can be experiencing some difficulties or stress but if callers become abusive, offensive or aggressive to staff members during a telephone call, staff may advise the caller that the call will be terminated if the unacceptable behaviour continues.

Written and Email Communication

• We will acknowledge all correspondence, within five working days where it is feasible to do so
• We will issue final replies within 20 working days and where this is not possible we will issue an interim reply before the 20 day period is up
• We will issue all correspondence with a reference number (where applicable)
• We will give our name and contact details on all correspondence where appropriate
• We will issue all correspondence in clear language that is understandable and concise.

Personal Callers

• We shall greet visitors politely, be fair and helpful and deal with their enquiries as quickly as possible
• We will ensure that you are afforded privacy in your dealings with the Department
• We will make sure that our offices are accessible for people with disabilities.  Where possible, we would be grateful if customers could give us advance notice of their access requirements so we can make the necessary arrangements.

It must be noted that where customers call to any of our offices, which are not public offices, they may be asked to make an appointment, because of staff’s prior work commitments.

Disability Access Officer

The Department’s Access Officer is Mr. Seamus Callagy in accordance with Section 26(2) of the Disability Act.

The Access Officer is responsible for providing, arranging or co-ordinating assistance to persons with disabilities who wish to access the services provided by the Department of Justice. The Access Officer also acts as a point of contact for persons with disabilities who wish to access such services.

 Email: accessofficer@justice.ie
 

Services in Irish

We have staff throughout the organisation in order to provide a service through Irish and every effort will be made to facilitate persons who wish to conduct their business through the medium of Irish.

Seirbhís i nGaeilge

Déanfaidh an Roinn gach iarracht chun freastal ar dhaoine ar mian leo a ngnó a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge.

Help us to help you

Please let us know what you think of the service we provide by submitting comments, views and suggestions.  We will always endeavour to use this feedback to assist us in providing the best possible customer service.

If you were happy with the service provided please let us know.  It’s always nice to hear.

You can contact us at customerservices@justice.ie

Our Customer Service Action Plan 2016-2018 has also been published.

(Note: The publication of a Customer Service Charter is not intended to create new legal rights for customers).