Harassment concern around Mayo council phone details

STAFF phone numbers are not displayed in outgoing calls from Mayo County Council due to concerns about harassment.

The local authority’s system has been reviewed after councillors complained about receiving calls but not knowing who they came from, and so being unable to return calls.

Director of services Catherine McConnell said there has been a high number of harassment calls and there is a reluctance to have numbers associated with individual staff members as a result.

Also, if staff move around their number moves with them which creates problems.

She explained that in a bid to alleviate councillors problems, staff have been told to leave their name and number when contacting elected members and send messages to them on teams.

An updated directory of key staff is also being prepared for elected members.

Councillor Michael Kilcoyne said the system was working four or five years ago, and the number of the person ringing should be showing, not the switchboard.

It needs to be sorted, he added.