Accessibility

FAQs about the Fáilte Ireland Disability Complaints Procedure

• What does the Inquiry Officer do?

• The Inquiry Officer will carry out investigations in private, based on Section 39 of the Disability Act 2005.
  
  At the end of the investigation, the Inquiry Officer will produce a report which will say:
  
  • if your complaint is valid
  • whether there has been a failure by Fáilte Ireland concerning your complaint
  • where a failure has happened, the steps to be taken to ensure future compliance
  
  The Inquiry Officer for Fáilte Ireland is Mary Penny.

• What is a complaint under the Disability Act, 2005?

• Under Section 38 of the Disability Act, 2005 you can make a complaint to Fáilte Ireland about:
  
  • access to Fáilte Ireland’s public buildings (Section 25)
  • access to services provided by Fáilte Ireland (Section 26)
  • accessibility of services supplied to Fáilte Ireland (Section 27)
  • access to information provided by Fáilte Ireland (Section 28)
  • access to heritage sites (including heritage buildings or protected structures) owned, managed or controlled by Fáilte Ireland (Section 29)

• How do I make a complaint?

• You must make your complaint in writing.
  
  Post it to:
  
  Mary Penny
  Inquiry Officer
  Fáilte Ireland
  88 – 95 Amiens Street
  Dublin 1
  Ireland
  
  Fax it to: 01 8556821
  

  Email us at: accessibility@failteireland.ie
   
  To help you make your complaint, an information checklist of the information needed by the Inquiry Officer to investigate your complaint is provided. See below for details of the information checklist.
  
  If you have any questions about filling out your complaint, please phone the Inquiry Officer on 018847781.

• What happens when you receive my complaint?

• We will
  
  • record your complaint
  • contact you as soon as possible to tell you that we received your complaint -you should hear from us not later than five working days after we receive your complaint
  • check the complaint to make sure it relates to an alleged failure by Fáilte Ireland to comply with sections 25 to 29 of the Disability Act
  • start the investigation, if your complaint is valid

• Why would my complaint not be accepted?

• 1. If your complaint does not relate to matters covered by sections 25 to 29 of the Act, the Inquiry Officer will let you know. You will be given reasons and, if possible, suggestions for other ways to settle your complaint.

  2. If the Inquiry Officer believes that your complaint is frivolous or vexatious, you will be notified and you will be given an opportunity to respond.

• What if my complaint is accepted?

• We will
  
  • ask you for further details
  • give full details about your complaint to the relevant members of staff of Fáilte Ireland
  • ask the relevant staff members to give a full report so that the Inquiry Officer can carry out an investigation of your complaint. This report should cover all the points raised in the complaint and should include any details of guidelines/codes of practice used.
  
  We may also
  
  • ask Fáilte Ireland staff for all relevant records, if appropriate
  • if we think it necessary, consult all relevant staff members
  • if required, ask you for further information or comments and give you the opportunity to make further submissions

• How do you investigate my complaint?

• The Inquiry Officer will
  
  • discuss your complaint with the relevant Fáilte Ireland staff members
  • collect and review any records relevant to your complaint
  • compile a report on your complaint
  • give a copy of the report to the relevant manager, asking for his or her response to the investigation results
  
  If there is a finding or criticism relating to a staff member in the report, the member of staff will be given an opportunity to consider the finding or criticism and to respond.

• How will I hear about the outcome of my complaint?

• When the investigation is finished, the Inquiry Officer will send you a copy of the report into your complaint. A copy of the report will also be sent to Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Corporate Affairs. We will try to respond within twenty working days. If it is likely to take longer, the Inquiry Officer will notify you.
  
  The report will tell you
  
  • what your complaint is
  • how it was looked into
  • what was found out
  • if your complaint was agreed with, parts were agreed with or not agreed with at all, and
  • what we expect to happen next

• What happens if my complaint is rejected?

• You can ask the Ombudsman to become involved. The Ombudsman is responsible for dealing with complaints that have not been sorted out by our complaints procedure.
  
  You can contact the Ombudsman in the following ways:
  
  Write to: Officer of the Ombudsman
  18 Lower Leeson Street
  Dublin 2
  
  Phone: +353 1 639 5600
  Phone (Lo-call): 1890 223030
  Fax: (01) 639 5674

  Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie
  
  Website: www.ombudsman.gov.ie

   

  
  

• Information checklist

• Your complaint should include the following information:
  
  1. Name, address, contact telephone number and e-mail address.
  2. Whether you were looking for access to Fáilte Ireland building(s), services or information.
  3. Whether you were seeking access for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
  4. The location/department of Fáilte Ireland you dealt with.
  5. When and with whom you met (date/staff name).
  6. Details of what were you looking for.
  7. How and why was the service/information/public place or building inaccessible to you or the person you are complaining on behalf of?
  8. What was the response of the person(s) you were dealing with?
  9. Were any commitments made to you that the service, information, public building or public place would be made accessible at a future date? Please provide details.
  10. Why are you dissatisfied with the response/commitments?