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Communications Office

The Communications Office provides information services to the Elected Members, staff, media and general public, as well as providing administrative support to the Cathaoirleach. The office also administers Freedom of Information requests and Access to Information on the Environment requests on behalf of the Sligo Local Authorities.

INFORMATION SERVICES

Information is compiled and relayed to the general public through a variety of means, including press releases and features, posting information on our websites, and publication of an e-newsletter. A monthly podcast and radio programme is also produced by Communications staff.

ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION

The Communications office endeavours to ensure its publications are available to all its customers. The Local Authorities websites have been upgraded to make them fully accessible, and the weekly roads and traffic report has also been extended to include information on footpath repairs, which are of particular interest to people who are visually impaired or reliant on wheelchairs.

PODCAST

In December 2007 Sligo Local Authorities launched a podcast facility to their websites which allows people access a broadcast of news and information on-line. The facility enables Sligo Local Authorities to provide news to a listening audience.

For the last two years podcasts have been produced on a monthly basis and have been broadcast through the Local Authorities’ websites and on local radio station Ocean FM. Broadcasting information in this way enables Sligo Local Authorities the ability to convey important information to people who are reliant on this medium.

TEXT ALERT SYSTEM

Sligo Local Authorities have introduced ‘Text Alert’ facility to enable people to report traffic management problems around the streets of Sligo. The text messages are relayed via the Communications Office to the Authorities’ Traffic Wardens who respond immediately to the scene of the alert.

Following a successful ‘piloting’ of the initiative in conjunction with the Sligo Branch of the People with Disabilities Ireland (PWDI), the system was extended to the wider community, and any member of the public is now be able to report traffic management problems for immediate attention. This facility is a ‘First’ for Local Authorities in Ireland in terms of traffic management and enables our Traffic Wardens to respond instantly to the public’s concerns on traffic issues.

OPEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local Authorities are encouraged to devise programmes to inform the general public of their functions, aims and objectives. While the Communications Office hosts a number of visits from local schools under our ‘Open Local Government Programme, which has been extended to include visits from local Disability Groups. To date three groups from the Rosses Sheltered Workshop have completed the ‘Open Local Government’ course and members of the group have been presented with certificates by the Cathaoirleach of the Council. County Hall hosted an open day for local disability groups in December 2009 to mark the International Day for people with disabilities.

WEBSITES

Many of the main service areas, including Finance and Motor Tax, enable customers to transact their business online. The Communications Office works with the Information Technology Section to monitor, review and update the Sligo Local Authority websites on a regular basis. On-line customers can subscribe to a menu of information services, and can register for our monthly e-magazine, monthly diary of events or weekly roads report.

Websites: www.sligococo.ie, www.sligoborough.ie

 
Launch of website www.sligo.ie

GENERAL INFORMATION SERVICES

The office co-ordinates a range of other information services:

The Communications Office reviews the delivery of information services on an ongoing basis to ensure information is prepared and conveyed in a clear, understandable and accessible manner.