Introduction

Offaly County Enterprise Board Limited is a private company, which was established by the Government to promote and encourage local enterprise initiatives in County Offaly. The Board is supported by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the EU Commission under the Operational Programme for Local, Urban and Rural Development.

Objectives

The primary objective of the Board is to develop and support local entrepreneurship and enterprise within the framework of a coherent integrated County Enterprise Action Plan.

Mission Statement

The mission of Offaly County Enterprise Board is to promote and encourage enterprise and employment in County Offaly within the framework of a County Enterprise Action Plan.

Our Commitment to You

Whether your business is conducted in person, by telephone or by correspondence we acknowledge that you are at all times entitled to be served with:

Courtesy and Professionalism

We undertake to:

• Promptly and in a courteous manner.
• With due regard to privacy and confidentiality.
• By friendly and helpful staff.

Openness and Impartiality

We undertake to:

• Identify ourselves in our dealings with you.
• Deal with you in a fair and open manner.
• Discuss any aspects of your dealings with you.
• Explain how a decision was reached.

Efficiency

You may expect that all queries to the Board are dealt with in a speedy and efficient manner, while recognising the need to keep to a minimum any costs, which you might have to incur.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Subject to the Board’s legal obligations to disclose full details of all public funds expended and committed, the Board will seek to have all information, both personal and business, provided by you dealt with in total confidence by the staff, Evaluation Committee and the Enterprise Board in a matter that respects your dignity.

The Board is also committed to complying with the terms of the Data Protection Acts and the Freedom of Information legislation as introduced in June 2006.

Redress

We undertake to operate a complaints and appeals procedure as a means of redress for customers dissatisfied with a decision or the quality of our service.

Complaints Procedure

Offaly County Enterprise Board Limited has established a formal system to deal with complaints. Our staff make every effort to assist by providing a high quality and professional service at all times. However, if our customers have a problem or are unhappy with a decision or any aspect of our service, we want to know so we can try to resolve it. We undertake to investigate complaints promptly in a fair and confidential manner and to provide for a right to appeal. The procedure is as follows: -

• Customers wishing to make complaint should contact the staff or Board member concerned by letter, telephone or email. All complaints will be acknowledged, treated confidentially and investigated thoroughly.


• If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, please contact the Chief Executive Officer who should be able to investigate and resolve your complaint speedily and sympathetically.


• Should the matter not be capable of being resolved to your satisfaction by the Board’s staff, you should then write to the Board’s Chairperson who will have your complaint investigated and the Board will be advised accordingly.

The decision of the Board shall be final and binding in relation to all matters arising from the adoption of this Complaints Procedure.