Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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855. To ask the Minister for Health the position in his Department and the organisations under its aegis that have arrangements in place for lo-call numbers or 1800, 1850 and 1890 phone numbers for members of the public to contact them; the number of these numbers that are completely free to call to persons who use mobile phones and may incur major bills phoning such organisations; if the situation will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36401/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In response to the Deputy's question, my Department has one 1890 number which is available to any member of the public who needs or wishes to contact the Department. We also offer our landline and email address for the public as an alternative to Lo-Call numbers. Lo-Call numbers were introduced before there was major competition in the telephone market in Ireland.  Initially a call to a 1890 number would have cost the same as calling a local number.  Now calls to 1890 numbers can vary widely – from 5c per minute to 45c per minute on some mobiles.

I have also forwarded your question to the HSE for direct reply. Details for other bodies under the aegis of the Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned.