Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 563: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will ensure that all automated phone lines are correctly updated in line with the appropriate payment names; and if she will further ensure that the State pension is correctly referred to as contributory or non-contributory and transition pensions respectively. [22776/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department uses pre-recorded oral announcements in the delivery of its schemes and services where a menu of options is presented to the customer. The options are presented in a clear simple language using terms to describe the various schemes that are well understood by customers in order to ensure that they choose the right option and eliminate unnecessary transfer of calls between sections and frustration for callers.

The current recording for pension schemes is State Retirement or Old Age Contributory Pension, State Old Age Non-contributory Pension and Widows, Widowers or Guardian's Pension.

A review of the pre-recorded options for pension schemes is currently underway. In this context, the Department has consulted with a number of customer representative groups who were asked for their views on the existing service options. A new menu of options is being finalised and this will be made available to the public as soon as possible.