Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is considering introducing a freephone number to contact Revenue in view of the fact that mobile devices cannot avail of the current freephone number and so many households no longer have landlines. [37104/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they provide freephone contact numbers for certain specific services. For example, Revenue operates a Confidential Freephone line (1800 295 295) for reporting information regarding the smuggling of drugs and the smuggling or illicit sale of tobacco, alcohol or road fuel. The annual Revenue Budget helpline (1800 314 414) is also a freephone number.

I am further advised that the Revenue website provides comprehensive lists of contact numbers for various offices around the country including details of low cost telephone numbers (1890 LoCall) for their most popular services. Where these contact details are presented, the Revenue website also clearly indicates that rates charged for the use of 1890 (LoCall) numbers may vary among different service providers and recommends that customers only ring 1890 numbers using a landline as calls made using mobile phones may be expensive.

The Revenue Commissioners also advise that they are continually seeking ways to reduce telephone call costs for customers contacting them and in this context they are currently exploring alternative telephone service options.