Kenmare Municipal District Councillors didn’t hold back last Friday when discussing the tune that plays while on hold on a call to Kerry County Council – with one Councillor saying the music makes him “feel like hopping the phone off the wall”.
hose were the words of Councillor John Francis Flynn (Fianna Fáil), who has gone so far as to ask for the music to be scrapped – with a message promoting the county or local services used instead.
And his request was very positively received by colleagues, some of whom are similarly irked by the offending tune.
The Council’s Corporate Services Section has agreed to look into the matter.
“You’re listening to the same music over and over again and, you know what, there are times there you’d feel like hopping the phone off the wall,” Cllr Flynn said at the Kenmare MD meeting. “That’s a valuable bit of time the person has to themselves,” he added, suggesting that mental-health-, addiction-, and financial-support services could be promoted instead while callers are waiting to be connected.
Cllr Norma Moriarty (Fianna Fáil) seconded the request, but Cllr Flynn wasn’t short of support on this one. Independent Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae said “the tune does go through my head” and pointed out that the matter has been brought up before. It was suggested then that local music be played while callers are on hold, but he said that Cllr Flynn’s idea was ‘far superior’.
Independent Cllr Dan McCarthy also described Cllr Flynn’s suggestion as a “very good idea” and joined the campaign against the current music: “I don’t know what you’d dance to it, because it wouldn’t make you feel like dancing.”
Cllr Michael Cahill (Fianna Fáil) also backed Cllr Flynn but praised the Council as he said that ‘hold times’ have been reduced from what they were.
“Kerry County Council’s Corporate Services Section will liaise with the Economic and Community Development Directorate with a view to developing messaging on the phone system, utilising the programme that the Council has put in place to support the reopening of business in the county as the pandemic restrictions ease,” the local authority said in response, “…and a number of key themes which could be referenced include the Safe Destination Programme, Shop Local Campaign/Kerry Gift Card, the ‘Experience Kerry’ marketing programme, tourism initiatives and business supports provided by the Local Enterprise Office.”
