Our Commitment to You

Statement of quality standards

This statement outlines the standards you can expect from us based on our Customer Charter. Our Customer Charter is displayed at our public service counters and online at Galway County Council.

Our goal is to foster a culture of excellence in customer service. We will utilise our resources to consistently deliver and maintain high standards. However, if we occasionally fall short, we will inform you and explain the reasons.

In Person:

If you visit one of our offices, we will:

• Provide a clean and safe environment.
• Ensure public signs are in both Irish and English.
• Meet you punctually if you have made an appointment.
• Respect your privacy and provide private meeting facilities if necessary.
• Interact with you in a polite, courteous, and fair manner, recognising some customers' preference for service in Irish and accurately accepting any customer’s details in Irish as required.
• Address your enquiry and provide relevant information as quickly as possible.
• Use our staff resources effectively to minimise queuing times for services. If queues are unavoidable, we will inform you and explain the reasons.
• Facilitate access for people with disabilities and additional needs.

We provide an Irish language counter service at all public counters in Áras an Chontae and Centrepoint office locations as follows:

• If an Irish speaker (able to provide the requested service in Irish) is available, an Irish language service will be provided.
• If an Irish speaker is not available, the person dealing with the customer will courteously explain the situation and inform the customer of when an Irish speaker will be available (this will only be done if an Irish speaker will be available within a reasonable time). Alternatively, the customer will be offered the following options:
  • To arrange a specific time when an Irish speaker will be present.
  • To continue the conversation in English, if the customer so wishes. This option will only be offered if all other options have been offered and declined by the customer.
• Ensure that any correspondence following a counter transaction where you indicate your preference to use Irish will continue to be in that language, even if the transaction may have transpired in English.

In Writing:

When we write to or email customers or reply to correspondence, we will:

• Use clear and simple language, minimising technical terms.
• Acknowledge all correspondence (letter, email, webcomment) within 5 working days and endeavour to reply within 15 working days or less.
• Include the writer’s name, contact number, email address, and file reference number.
• Notify you by ‘out of office’ email response if a staff member is absent for more than 3 working days and provide you with an alternative contact number.

By Telephone:

If you telephone us, we will:

• Be available to take your call from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (Monday to Friday).
• Answer calls as quickly as possible and respond courteously.
• Call you back if we cannot deal with your query immediately.
• Be helpful and clear, directing you to the most appropriate person to deal with your query without delay.
• Always provide you with a contact number if you need to call us back.
• Direct you to a member of staff who can deal with your query in Irish.
• Make every effort to return your call within 24 hours.
• Update messages recorded on our phones to inform you if the staff member is absent.

By Application Form:

If you apply for one of our services, we will:

• Explain precisely what is required to avail of a service.
• Make the application form easy to find and provide accurate and precise instructions on how to complete it.
• Only ask for information that is essential to a fair and prompt assessment of your application.
• Ensure that personal data acquired by us is used only for the purpose for which it was sought.
• Acknowledge receipt of your application and deal with it within agreed time limits.
• Write to you with a decision on your application or appeal, providing reasons if it was unsuccessful.

Online:

If you visit our website, we will:

• Provide information on services and how to find out more about them.
• Publish copies of our Annual Reports, Major Plans, and Budgets.
• Enable online payment for as many services as feasible.
• Provide copies of all our application forms.
• Offer alternate accessible formats of our publications on request (e.g., Large Print).
• Make it easy to submit a comment and promptly update our site.
• Respond to social media contacts in line with our Social Media Policy.

As Gaeilge:

If you wish to use our services through Irish, we will:

• Provide our brochures, information leaflets, application forms, and policy documents in Irish to comply with the provisions of An Scéim Teanga and The Official Languages Acts 2003 and 2021.
• Reply in Irish to any correspondence received in Irish.
• Establish, to the greatest extent possible, a dedicated Irish Language telephone service for those who wish to conduct their business in Irish.
• Inform you of the services available in Irish at each public counter and the extent of the service available in Irish.

Customer service delivery response targets

The Statement of Quality Service Standards applies to all service areas and outlines our commitments as follows:

• Acknowledge all correspondence (letter, email, wecomment) within 5 working days and endeavour to reply within 15 working days or less.
• Reply in Irish to any correspondence received in Irish.

Our Complaints and Appeals Procedure states that all complaints will be responded to within 15 working days.