Cork subscriber correspondence complaint
The subscriber’s correspondence dispute was settled, with an account credit and a further bill issue cleared by agreement. The Minister acknowledged human error, could not guarantee it would not recur, and pointed to decentralisation as a way to reduce such problems.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will investigate the case of a subscriber (details supplied) in County Cork who is dissatisfied with his Department in regard to the handling of correspondence between the Minister, the subscriber and the Department.
Comment on this
Correspondence between the subscriber and the Department that extended over a period was brought to a conclusion by an agreed settlement on 7 September. The appropriate credit is being allowed in the subscriber's October-December account. The subscriber wrote, however, on 31 October about his July-September, 1981 account. This has now been cleared, in agreement with him.
Comment on this
I am sure the Minister read the correspondence that I submitted with the question. I would like an assurance from the Minister that there will never again be any need for that sort of correspondence to arrive on his desk and to assure the House and the people that the subject matter of that correspondence will not recur?
Comment on this
I cannot give the Deputy a guarantee. But I have the same views as he has and I have let my views be known to the people concerned. It is not the first time it has happened but on this occasion it has got publicity. It is due to human error more than to anything else. Being human we make mistakes. I accept that this was a mistake.
Comment on this
Many Members probably do not know what we are talking about. We are talking about the level of frustration caused while this subscriber was awaiting for no more than a simple card acknowledgment from the Department. I would ask the Minister to ensure that in so far as is humanly possible this sort of treatment will not be meted out to any other subscriber.
Comment on this
I appreciate the Deputy's point. I would like to give him an answer which may not be the full story but is part of it. This will happen again and again because of the numbers of telephones being installed here in Dublin. I acknowledge the interest of the former administration in this and it is my intention and the intention of my Minister, as it was the intention of the former administration, to decentralise most of the work. If we bring it down to local level there will be less chance of this kind of thing happening.
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