Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made within his Department on phasing out the use of LoCall 1890 numbers that can be extremely expensive when dialled from mobile phones and introducing 076 number, which generally included in tariff bundles provided by most mobile network operators and are charged at the same rate as national calls, in view of the fact that the number of mobile phones exceed the number of landlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14482/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not operate LoCall 1890 numbers.

Last year, my Department replaced an ageing telephone system, with a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephony system, in its three main offices in Dublin, Athlone and Tullamore. It is planned to rollout VoIP to all regional and local offices later this year. Once this is fully implemented, consideration will then be given to the introduction of 0761 numbers, in an effort to reduce call charges for members of the public.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the use of, or implemented, integrated voice response systems in his Department's phone systems or in the phone systems of agencies within his remit; if the staff and salary cost savings which might arise have been assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14498/13]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has given any consideration to the use of telephony switchboard services that are shared with another Govlernment Department or another public body in order to reduce costs and increase call handling capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14513/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together.

For the Deputy's information, a new VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony system was procured for my Department in 2012. The project involved the roll out of the new system across the three main locations of the Department (ie Athlone, Dublin and Tullamore offices) and has greatly reduced telephony expenditure. During 2013, further work will be undertaken with regard to the deployment of VoIP to my Department's local offices. Further enhancements are being considered in this context, including the piloting of an Interactive Voice Response System in a selected number of units within my Department during 2013/2014.

As part of implementation of the Government's Public Service Reform Plan, my Department will develop a Shared Services Plan for the Education and Training sector and a range of issues may be considered including the potential to share telephony switchboard services with Government Departments or other public bodies.