Bloody Civil Service.........

Colonel Sanders

Applied for my provisional driving licence on June 22nd this year. Got the girl in Dublin Motor tax office to check over the relevant forms, to double check they were filled in properly and signed everywhere etc. She told me it was fine, told me to sign 'here and here' and said it would take about 10 working days to process.

After 4 weeks and no licence I rang about it and was put on hold. After about 5 minutes the line went dead, the person on the other end had hung up. I was a bit angry so didn't ring back as I'd have ended shouting and swearing down the phone. So left it til the next week. Rang this time and was told that my application had been rejected for some reason. The person tiold me he coudn't tell me why as it wasn't on the system and in any case even if it was he couldn't divulge the reason over the phone. Told me a letter had been posted telling me what to do to put everything right. Fair enough......or so I thought.

After a week there was no sign of the letter so i rang back. Was told to 'give it another week or so' and then ring back. I asked the lady did she really think it took 2 weeks for a letter to get from D7 to D2. She just repeated 'give it another week or so' and again repeated the previous guy saying that she couldn't give me details over the phone.

Rang back today and was told that its not their problem but an An Post problem now. Was told to check with my local sorting office and if there's no sign to go to a Garda station and fill out a form and re-apply. However this guy i spoke to had no problem at all telling me why the application had been rejected (contradicting what the other 2 people said). Turns out i hadn't signed one place on the form (again despite the person who processed the application pointing out everywhere I had to sign).

Now I need to take a half day from work to sort everything out. Its a complete joke, does ANYONE in the civil service know their ar se from their elbow?

hawker

Colonel Sanders wrote:

Now I need to take a half day from work to sort everything out. Its a complete joke, does ANYONE in the civil service know their ar se from their elbow?

Perhaps if you did your homework before you abused Civil Servants, you might know that these people work for the local County Council and not the Civil Service.

And no, they are not all the same.

mikemac

Colonel Sanders wrote:

Now I need to take a half day from work to sort everything out. Its a complete joke, does ANYONE in the civil service know their ar se from their elbow?

It takes you a half day to complete everthing and then you call the staff inefficent :rolleyes:

Sure just fill up the relevent forms, include what needed and send it by registered post. You don't need to even set foot in the motor tax office. It's not even an hours work.

Sorry OP, but you still filled up the form incorrectly and an driving licence application is hardly a complicated form. It's only two pages afaik

Spud83

You filled out the form wrong. So start taking responsibilities for your own actions and deal with it. Jeez people get so wound up over the stupidest things now days. Oh and how do you know they guy that told you why it was rejected wasn’t wrong for telling you, instead you assume the other two people were wrong simple because they didn’t do what you wanted.

Colonel Sanders

alanmurphy83 wrote:

You filled out the form wrong.

I asked the lady who served me was it filled out correctly, she told me it was when I asked her to double check. I was told different things by 3 different people, thats inefficiency and not my fault.

I have to take a half day as it would take me about 3 hours to get to the tax office and back from where I work (I live in D2 but don't work there)

Colonel Sanders

alanmurphy83 wrote:

Oh and how do you know they guy that told you why it was rejected wasn’t wrong for telling you, instead you assume the other two people were wrong simple because they didn’t do what you wanted.

As I said above I was told different things by different people and had the phone hung up on me by another. No idea if the people who would or wouldn't tell me were wrong but one or the other was. What was definately wrong was when I was told the reason wasn't on the system. I found out today that it was.

Drapper

Colonel Sanders wrote:

I asked the lady who served me was it filled out correctly, she told me it was when I asked her to double check. I was told different things by 3 different people, thats inefficiency and not my fault.

I have to take a half day as it would take me about 3 hours to get to the tax office and back from where I work (I live in D2 but don't work there)

lol, its a big bad world out there isn't it! its your problem if you forget to sign a place on a rather simple form!! blame who you want but its your responsibility!

Colonel Sanders

micmclo wrote:

It takes you a half day to complete everthing and then you call the staff inefficent :rolleyes:

Sure just fill up the relevent forms, include what needed and send it by registered post. You don't need to even set foot in the motor tax office. It's not even an hours work.

Sorry OP, but you still filled up the form incorrectly and an driving licence application is hardly a complicated form. It's only two pages afaik

If it is the case that I can post the form thats another error on behalf on their staff, I was told I had to re-apply in person on the phone today.

I agree the form isn't complicated but when someone who's supposed to know their job tells you to sign 'here and here' and that everything is in order most people believe them.

Colonel Sanders

Drapper wrote:

lol, its a big bad world out there isn't it! its your problem if you forget to sign a place on a rather simple form!! blame who you want but its your responsibility!

I didn't FORGET I asked where I had to sign and as I've said was told 'here and here' when I asked the staff member to double check my application. How many of these forms does the office process each day?

The_Hustler

Which motor tax office were you ringing? It sounds like you are being told a lot of bull****.

Colonel Sanders

Dublin City, on Queen street.

Have spoken to different people every time I have rang them and been told different things each time.

The_Hustler

Well I was on the phones there today, I didn't deal with your call but there's no problem in telling you why it was rejected (that sounds really strange) and you can post it back in if it's just a case of signing something.

Have you given all the details in your posts?

The_Hustler

Colonel Sanders wrote:

I didn't FORGET I asked where I had to sign and as I've said was told 'here and here' when I asked the staff member to double check my application. How many of these forms does the office process each day?

To be honest you didn't seem to have signed anywhere, the staff member managed to find a few places you left blank but they can't do everything. What exactly were you told you didn't sign?

Colonel Sanders

The guy I spoke to today was grand, was straight up and told me what was going on. Went through everything that was on the system about my application and told me that a letter had been sent out to me on the 17th of July instructing me what to do and, from what I can gather, with my original form in it to re-sign. It hasn't arrived so he told me it must be lost in the post (not a motor tax office problem, I agreed), to go the a Garda station, get form D800, fill it out and drop it into the tax office.

Colonel Sanders

The_Hustler wrote:

To be honest you didn't seem to have signed anywhere, the staff member managed to find a few places you left blank but they can't do everything. What exactly were you told you didn't sign?

was told on the phone that there was a signiture missing

I originallty filled in form and signed it, the lady told me to make sure it was signed 'here and here'. As far as I remmebr there wasn't a signiture actually missing she was just saying to ensure line a and b were signed.

Drapper

Colonel Sanders wrote:

The guy I spoke to today was grand, was straight up and told me what was going on. Went through everything that was on the system about my application and told me that a letter had been sent out to me on the 17th of July instructing me what to do and, from what I can gather, with my original form in it to re-sign. It hasn't arrived so he told me it must be lost in the post (not a motor tax office problem, I agreed), to go the a Garda station, get form D800, fill it out and drop it into the tax office.

God, the motor tax office sounds so innificient! and the gardai too and as for the post man! ffs!

Colonel Sanders

Drapper wrote:

God, the motor tax office sounds so innificient! and the gardai too and as for the post man! ffs!

what we need is a revolution!!!

Drapper

Colonel Sanders wrote:

what we need is a revolution!!!

lol wait until the aliens return! we are all doomed!!!!

Colonel Sanders

what about the ants? I for one welcome our new insect overlords!!!!!

The_Hustler

Colonel Sanders wrote:

The guy I spoke to today was grand, was straight up and told me what was going on. Went through everything that was on the system about my application and told me that a letter had been sent out to me on the 17th of July instructing me what to do and, from what I can gather, with my original form in it to re-sign. It hasn't arrived so he told me it must be lost in the post (not a motor tax office problem, I agreed), to go the a Garda station, get form D800, fill it out and drop it into the tax office.

Yeah, when he said to drop it in that would be your best bet because you'll need to show your passport and I'm guessing you don't want to send that through the post after your reject letter went missing!

The people you were talking to before could have been new summer temps, some of us are better than others


EDIT: Wait a second, form D800 is for a replacement licence! Was your licence expired? If so you'll need a D8a stamped by the guards instead, and you have to fill out the normal app again, along with the photos and fee. I'm very sorry to be giving you different information too. Summer temps often have to man the phones and for some it's their first year and they can make mistakes.
If your licence had been lost in the post it would be the process he described but that reject would have had everything you submitted in the envelope. I would really suggest you check the local sorting office because of that.

PeakOutput

iw alked into the tax office on a friday picked up a form filled it out correctly myself gave it to the lady and got my licence the next tuesday

BUT in general the public service is horribly inefficient

parsi

On the day I passed my test I went in and got my new licence in about ten minutes. Of course that what is the days before they were printed.

Generally though any business we transact with the Motor Tax Office turns around very quickly. Of course we make sure to sign in all the relevant places

Making enquiries by phone seems to throw up all sorts of issues. I rang a company today about my camcorder which is in for repair. The docket number wasn't recognised so they searched on the serial number. Then a "please hold.." followed by "did you pay your deposit by cheque ?". The answer was no. Then another "please hold.." and finally an answer that it would be back today or tomorrow. What flummoxes me is what difference does my method of payment make to whether the damn thing is back or not ??? Bloody private sector...

Drapper

face it we are an inificient spieces! the bugs are coming !

Colonel Sanders

The_Hustler wrote:

EDIT: Wait a second, form D800 is for a replacement licence! Was your licence expired? If so you'll need a D8a stamped by the guards instead, and you have to fill out the normal app again, along with the photos and fee. I'm very sorry to be giving you different information too. Summer temps often have to man the phones and for some it's their first year and they can make mistakes.
If your licence had been lost in the post it would be the process he described but that reject would have had everything you submitted in the envelope. I would really suggest you check the local sorting office because of that.

Its my first provisional. I was told to check my local sorting office (I did they have nothing for me and in any case AFAIK I think they only hold Irish letters for 5 days before they RTS. I never got a form through the letterbox saying I had to pick anything up in any case). If no joy there then go to the garda station and get form D800 (which as you state says its for a replacement licence). I have never been issued a licence before. In terms of the letter sent (and lost by the looks of things) will that have my theory test cert and eye test cert in it?

if I go all the way over there will I be issued with a licence if I bring in form D800? If not there is no way I'm paying to sit the theory test again or for another eye test. Will it be on the system that I passed the theory test etc.?

Just wanna know where I stand.

The_Hustler

A first provisional, damn! I hate to be the one to tell you this but usually everything that was sent in will have been sent back out and we usually don't enter the theory test or eyesight report until we issue the licence. Basically we need everything again!
The only good news I can tell you is you won't have to sit the theory test again, just ask them for a copy of your cert. Also I've been told that you can get refunds for postal orders now. And hopefully the optician can give you a copy of your eyesight report for free.

This sounds horrible so if you'd like to PM me your name and date of birth I can look you up on the system if I get a chance to make sure that there's not some better alternative.


I must say though that this is an exception, we do process hundreds of applications every day without a hitch. I would say the motor tax office is very efficient for the workload it deals with compared to some other public service areas. When licences get lost in the post it's not too much bother (just get the D800+photos) but when reject letters do (which is a lot rarer) it can be a pain for the applicant. This being a first provisional it's worse. I know this is no consolation to you.

Btw, I am just a summer temp too, but more experienced than the ones you've been dealing with. I have confirmed that this is the process with a collegue of mine.

Mountjoy Mugger

PeakOutput wrote:

iw alked into the tax office on a friday picked up a form filled it out correctly myself gave it to the lady and got my licence the next tuesday

BUT in general the public service is horribly inefficient

Q.E.D.

cgarvey

I wonder if those attacking the OP have had the pleasure to deal with Dublin City Council (not those attacking the OP with incorrect arguments, mind!).

Having dealt with various departments (parking permits, refuse charges, motor tax), I can certainly say that in my experience that level of service (incorrect answers to basic questions, passing the blame, etc.) is the norm. There are some gems in there (who are usually identified by "oh I must ask X about that"), but that's not the norm in my experience.

pow wow

I applied for my test with an employer's letter and got a 'thanks for your application...if you need a quick test send us in an employer's letter..' response. I rang up to be told 'oh yeah everyone gets the same letter, it's standard even if you already sent in your employer's letter...'. I can only assume no-one in there thinks it appropriate to have a 2nd letter template set up. In some jobs there is no room for initiative...I'd say government type jobs are one of them. I work for the civil service....and I left my initiative at the door.

The_Hustler

OP: Ok the timeline in your post doesn't really make sense as I as trying to work out the weeks from June 22nd and ended up in the future. I looked up your application and I'm trying to figure out why you were being told these things on the phone.

Basically, I've got great news. You're licence was issued that day (June 22nd) and sent out a few days later. The girl you double checked with did help you complete the form fully. There were no issues with it. It was sent out to the address you wrote on the sticky label. Everything went fine and efficiently. But An Post returned it to us in mid July.

Now from here is the messing, it seems that each and every time you rang you were told a load of bull****. It had to be summer temps you were talking to. They misinterpreted a warning saying "returned post" as meaning your application was returned to you.

So basically, everything was done right. An post didn't get it to you. You were unfortunate in that you spoke to temps who really should have checked with somebody. And telling you you handn't signed something seems like something completely made up by them.

The great news I was talking about is that you don't have to get any replacement forms or get anything done again and you will be contacted tomorrow about how you will receive your licence.

Colonel Sanders

Hustler, you're a legend.

Many thanks, I really appreciate that!!!

Drapper

can we have the tread title changed? to "Hustler the DCC hero!"

datk

Colonel Sanders wrote:

does ANYONE in the civil service know their ar se from their elbow?

Apart from the points already pointed out by other posters - ie you weren't dealing with anyone from the civil service and it was you who filled the form out incorrectly. Say you are right and this person did mislead you, how can you blame an entire section of employees because, in your opinion, one person didn't do their job properly.

The_Hustler

Drapper wrote:

can we have the tread title changed? to "Hustler the DCC hero!"

Has a nice ring to it!

datk, it turns out the person (as you correctly say in the PUBLIC service) didn't mislead him at all. A few temps on the phone did though. And they certainly aren't representative of the section of employees being criticised.

Colonel Sanders

datk wrote:

it was you who filled the form out incorrectly.

No I didn't as hustler pointed out. I was told on the phone that the reason my application had been rejected was because it had been filled out incorrectly. This turned out not to be true. There wasn't anything wrong with my application, an post didn';t deliver it and returned it to the Motor Tax Office I picked up my licence today. All the stories I was told on the phone were pure BS.

Many thanks again Hustler.