Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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104. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to ensure that alternative telephone numbers to 1850 and 1890 in all Departments of the Revenue Commissioners are provided in order that those trying to discuss issues with officials are not charged beyond their normal telephone packages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13949/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Revenue that the 1890 LoCall service is the best available option for the scale of its telephone business, which averages almost 2.5 million callers each year. Revenue is however very conscious that some of its customers are not being allowed LoCall rates by their telephone service providers when using the service and has been actively seeking ways to reduce the cost burden.

This includes evaluating new telephony technology which will provide a robust, reliable and scalable telephone service that does not rely on 1890 architecture. Revenue is also exploring the use of other technologies that will enable customers through their existing ‘inclusive packages’ (bundle) to ‘phone’ Revenue from links within its website (www.revenue.ie) and mobile app (RevApp) without incurring the 1890 telephone costs. Revenue hopes to be in a position to launch some of these enhancements in 2018.

The Deputy may be aware that the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) held a public consultation in 2017 on the five classes of ‘Non-Geographic Number’ (NGN) services that are available. These include the ‘1800’ service’’ (Freephone), the ‘1850’ service (Shared Cost- Fixed Charge per Call), the ‘1890’ service (Shared Cost- Charge per Minute), the ‘0818’ service (Universal Access) and the ‘076’ service(Nomadic). As part of the consultation process, views were invited from interested parties and Revenue made a submission expressing its dissatisfaction at the rates charged for 1890 calls. Revenue also supported ComReg’s proposal that the retail charge applicable to a caller using any of the NGN services should not exceed the retail charge that would apply had the caller used a Geographic Number. Revenue is currently awaiting the outcome of the consultation process.

On a wider note, I am aware that Revenue has significantly enhanced its range of online services to reduce the need for customer telephone contact. This includes a new website (www.revenue.ie) which is specifically designed to help customers more easily find the information they are looking for. The information on the website is written in plain language and is easy to find. All of the feedback to date strongly confirms that the new service is very effective and has been well received by the vast majority of users.