Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department operates any number utilising the lo-call designation, 1890; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that use of this number can impose additional costs on mobile telephone users; if he will ensure that where such numbers are advertised in the press, on-line or in literature that this additional cost is noted, and that a standard geographic telephone number is also given; if this is not currently done, if he will ensure that this will be done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41242/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is aware that calls to LoCall numbers from mobile phones do impose additional costs. My Department does operate one Lo-Call number. However, this number is accompanied in advertisements by standard geographic numbers for all services operated by my Department. While the advertisements do not highlight the cost differential at present, it is intended that future iterations of advertisements will include this warning. My Department has advised all other bodies of this cost differential and has advised them of the need to provide standard geographic numbers where possible when advertising Lo-Call numbers.

Additionally, my Department is working with the telecommunications service providers to devise an alternative, less costly mechanism for making national calls from mobile phones.