Customer Complaints Procedure

In Sligo County Council, we are committed to providing you with a high quality service. We work hard to maintain and improve the standard of service we provide and to keep errors to a minimum.  However, we recognise that mistakes or delays will occasionally occur.

If you are not satisfied with the service we provide, you should let us know so that we can work at improving this.  We welcome your feedback and will deal with your complaints in confidence.

Complaints:

This document sets out our procedures for dealing with complaints.  It tells you

• what issues are covered by the complaints procedure.
• what issues are not covered.
• how to make a complaint.
• what information to provide.
• the standards we have set for dealing with complaints.
• what it will cost;
• what you can do if you are not happy with our response to your complaint.

What issues are covered?

This complaints procedure concerns complaints about issues such as delays, mistakes, poor customer service – instances where you did not receive the quality of service you feel you are entitled to.

What issues are not covered?

There are separate procedures in place in respect of a Freedom of Information request.

How do I make a complaint?

Any individual, company, organisation or association may make a complaint and the steps are as follows:

1. In the first instance, the complaint should be brought to the attention of our staff in the office concerned, either orally or in writing.  The staff there will try to resolve your complaint without delay.
2. If your complaint cannot be resolved by our staff or if you are unhappy with the response you received, you should contact the Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Services, Sligo County Council, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo.
   Telephone:   071-9111111
   Fax:    071-9141119
   E-mail:  info@sligococo.ie

What information should I provide:

By providing the following information, you will help to speed up the investigation of your complaint:

• Your name and address
• Exactly what you are dissatisfied with
• The name of the office, and if appropriate, the official(s) with whom you were dealing; and
• A daytime telephone number, if you would be happy for us to contact you by telephone.  This may help us to resolve the matter more quickly.

If your complaint is complicated, you may find it best to put it in writing so that none of the details are overlooked.  Remember to send us all the relevant documentation or correspondence that you may have.

Our standards for dealing with complaints:

• We will treat your complaint properly, fairly and impartially.
• We promise that making a complaint will have no implication for your dealings and contacts with Sligo County Council.
• An officer of Sligo County Council, other than those involved in the original decision or action, will carefully examine your complaint.
• Correspondence about your complaint will be filed separately from other information, if any, held about you in Sligo County Council.
• All complaints will receive a reply.  We will issue an acknowledgement within five working days and a full response no later than 28 days of receipt of your complaint.  Where it is not possible to meet this deadline, we will inform you and continue to do so until the matter is resolved.
• We will apologise for any mistake, explain what happened and put it right wherever possible.
• We will change our procedures to ensure that we do better in the future.

What will it cost?

There is no charge for making a complaint and we will not charge you for dealing with your complaint.

Who do I direct my complaint to?

Complaints may be made, either orally or in writing to –

Senior Executive Officer,

Corporate Services Section,

Sligo County Council,

County Hall,

Riverside,

Sligo.

Telephone – 071-9111111
Fax:  071-9141119
E-mail:  info@sligococo.ie
Website:  www.sligococo.ie

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome?

If you feel that you have been unfairly treated or are not satisfied with our decision on your complaint, it is open to you to contact the Office of the Ombudsman. By law the Ombudsman can investiage complaints about any our our administrative actions or procedures as well as delays or inaction in your dealings with us. The Ombudsman provides a free, impartial and independent dispute resolution service.

Contact details are as follows:

Office of the Ombudsman,
18 Lower Leeson Street,
Dublin 2.

Telephone:   01-6395600
Fax:     01-6395674
Lo-Call:   1890-22-30-30   (for callers outside the Dublin area)

E-mail:  ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie
Web:  www.ombudsman.ie

Note: 

The complaints and appeal procedure does not apply to decisions of Sligo County Council where there is a statutory appeal process nor does it interfere with your rights under the Freedom of Information Act, 1997.