Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in congratulating and welcoming both Senators Lawlor and Marshall to the House. I particularly welcome Senator Marshall; it is good to hear another Northern accent in the Chamber. He is from the Orchard County, and I have no doubt that his appointment will give confidence to members of the unionist community in terms of the bone fides of this State on a large number of issues, particularly Brexit. I wish both the Senators well in their new roles.

I wish to raise the issue of Government Departments and agencies and their use of 1890 numbers for citizens to contact them in relation to queries they might have. It is not common knowledge that if one is ringing a Government Department on an 1890 number, it is not a cheap call. If one rings from Three mobile or Vodafone and happens to be on the line to a Government Department for up to 30 minutes, it will cost between €9 and €13.50. This is an issue we must grasp. I am confident that certain elements of Government are aware of this because when the local property tax number was advertised, the Department was aware of the problem and changed the criteria to accommodate it. Revenue Online is an example of where people are provided with an 1890 number and believe that they are speaking to someone on the other end for the price of a local call. We need to be aware of that issue, and the message needs to be brought back to Government that we should desist from using such numbers and find a number that will not cost much for those who take time to ring.