GRO Survey

Survey of GRO Customer Satisfaction

The General Register Office, at Joyce House in Lombard Street, Dublin, is the central repository for civil records of birth, marriage and death in the Republic of Ireland. In recent years a number of changes have been made in the services provided and fees charged to genealogical researchers using the search room at Joyce House. For example, where previously you could pay a general search fee and be allowed to retrieve individual index volumes from the shelves, now you must request a staff member to get them for you. Currently, this can mean a delay of 20-30 minutes if staff are busy filling requests for copies of register entries. Another problem inherent in this system is that, given the challenges in getting hold of a volume, some researchers are reluctant to return them to the shelves until they are done for the day, thus making them unavailable to other researchers.

GRO officials believe that customers are more satisfied with the current system than with the previous open access system. They also maintain that the closed system (which requires at least two full-time staff members who could otherwise be making photocopies) helps to protect the books and also keeps them in better circulation. There are some in the user community, both amateur and professional genalogists, who would dispute this perception. In an attempt to persuade them to re-open access to the shelves, Eileen M. O'Duill, a professional researcher in Dublin, is to meet with a senior official in the Department of Health on Thursday, July 4th. She would like to hear from people who have used the GRO search room in Dublin in recent years as to their opinion of the quality of service. She would also like to hear whether people think it is acceptable for a government agency of this importance to be open only 5¼ hours per day.

The deadline for submissions has been extended to July 12, 2002.

Survey on Access at GRO

Have you used the GRO when the index volumes were accessible?
No Yes
If yes, how would you rate this service?
Unacceptable Poor Acceptable Good Exceptional
Have you used the GRO when the index volumes were inaccessible?
No Yes
If yes, how would you rate this service?
Unacceptable Poor Acceptable Good Exceptional
Are the current opening hours adequate?
No Yes
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the services and facilities at the GRO?
Poor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Good
Please identify yourself.

Name:
Residence: Other:
Email Address (Not to be published)

Additional Comments:

**Survey on Access at GRO**
Have you used the GRO when the index volumes were accessible? No Yes If yes, how would you rate this service? Unacceptable Poor Acceptable Good Exceptional Have you used the GRO when the index volumes were inaccessible? No Yes If yes, how would you rate this service? Unacceptable Poor Acceptable Good Exceptional Are the current opening hours adequate? No Yes On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the services and facilities at the GRO? Poor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Good Please identify yourself. Name: Residence: Other: Email Address (Not to be published) Additional Comments:

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This page maintained by Dennis Ahern.