Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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240. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason many essential services are 1890 premium rate numbers; his views that it is unfair that those on pensions and social welfare are expected to pay premium rates to receive information in relation to essential services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43517/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) manages and administers the National Numbering Scheme which lists all numbers and codes that are available for use on public telecommunications networks. ComReg, which is independent in the exercise of its functions, has established a variety of access codes types, in accordance with international norms, including:

- geographic numbering where charges are incurred by the caller at a local or national rate;

- 1850 numbers which share the costs between the caller and the service provider at a fixed rate when called from a fixed line number; and

- 1890 numbers which share the costs between the caller and the service provider having regard to the duration of the call when called from a fixed line number.

Neither my Department nor ComReg has any statutory authority to compel other services providers to use any particular telephone access code.

I would draw the Deputy's attention however to arrangements in my Department which operates an 1890 lo-call option for users contacting my Department from fixed line numbers and a standard 01-6782000 access code which allows mobile phone users to contact my Department at the standard rate charged by their service provider or within bundled minutes, depending on the package any customer has chosen.