Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

166. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he or his Department has given consideration to the implementation here of a simple three digit 24/7 non-emergency contact for every citizen to interact with Government, semi-State, public bodies and organisations, charitable/voluntary and support services, that will assist callers in dealing with health, educational, civic, local government, social problems and so on; if he or his Department has examined the way this successfully operates in places such as the USA and Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41558/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to inform the Deputy that while I do not have any responsibility for the introduction of a three digit 24/7 non-emergency contact number for the various bodies or indeed the policy areas set out in his Question, I do understand and have sympathy with the thrust and intent of his Question. I am informed that the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is considering the introduction of a single number such as is used for emergency services in places such as New York and is engaged in consultation about a strategy to allow citizens improved digital access to all services. The Department and its agencies would have a part to play should the CIO come forward with proposals but would not be independently examining developments in this area.

While no entity falling under the remit of my Department operates a three digit 24/7 non-emergency contact number of the type set out by the Deputy, my Department has undertaken some targeted initiatives in this area. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) operates a number of helplines to facilitate clients in making enquiries in relation to immigration and citizenship issues. These helplines are provided between certain set periods each week. The periods for which the helplines operate strikes a balance between facilitating customers in making queries to INIS and the overall priority of ensuring that immigration and citizenship applications are processed as quickly as possible. Any widening of the periods of operation of the helplines would divert scarce resources away from case processing which would be contrary to the best interests of customers.

Since 2005, the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime has allocated just over €700,000 in funding to the Crime Victims Helpline. The Helpline is a confidential national helpline run by a team of trained volunteers. The main role of the organisation is to take calls from members of the public who are victims of crime and to respond to the caller's needs by providing appropriate information, referral to a relevant support organisation, emotional support and other responses according to the caller's needs. They can be contacted on by means of a freephone number 116 066 during the following hours:

Outside those hours if a member of the public leaves a message asking the helpline to contact them they will do so promptly. Due to lack of financial resources it is not possible to implement a 24/7 helpline.

There are also national help-lines available for victims of domestic and sexual violence. These help-lines are provided with the assistance of state funding through the Health Service Executive (HSE). The sexual violence helpline is provided by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and is provided on a 24/7 basis. The national domestic violence help-line is provided by Women's Aid and operates from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The decision to operate the domestic violence help-line on a 12 hour basis is, I understand, one that was made by Women's Aid on the basis of its experience of need and effectiveness.

In the European context, the EU is committed to establishing a series of help-line numbers beginning with 116 for crime victims, such as the 116 006 victims help-line, rather than a one for all number.