Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [14478/13]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [14494/13]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [14510/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 to 148, inclusive, together.

My Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with the objective of eliminating LoCall 1890 numbers and has requested the allocation of 0761 numbers to help reduce telephony costs and enhance customer service. Currently, my Department operates a switchboard service which is staffed by service officers at reception desks located in each of its main administrative buildings. My Department dispensed with a commercial operator service at one of its locations in 2012 and this resulted in significant savings. In a number of locations where my Department shares buildings with other Departments, switchboard services and the associated costs are shared. Further options, such as those identified by the Deputy, are being explored by my Department on an ongoing basis with a view to reducing telephony costs and achieving greater efficiencies.

With regard to bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group, the Deputy will appreciate that management of phone systems is part of the day-to-day operational responsibilities of the bodies in question. I am arranging, therefore, for the terms of the Deputy’s Question to be transmitted to the heads of relevant bodies with a request that they provide information, to the extent feasible, directly to the Deputy.