Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on directing State agencies and Departments to use both a lo-call number and local number for members of the public to phone in view of the fact that many people have free national calls which would be more cost efficient than calling the lo-call number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14895/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I have no function in setting policy in this area across the public sector. My Department uses both a lo-call number and local number for members of the public. These numbers are published on the Department's website. The use of a lo-call number is appropriate for persons who do not have access to free national call services and it affords considerable savings to such persons and is, accordingly, current best practice in customer relations. Persons who have an entitlement to free national calls can of course ring the main Department number for free.

The telephone contact services of the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department are a day-to-day operational issue for these agencies and I have no function in that regard.