Information and Communications Technology Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 March 2013

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Questions (250)

Sean Fleming

Question:

250. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the progress made within his Department on phasing out the use of LoCall 1890 numbers that can be extremely expensive when dialled from mobile phones and introducing 076 number, which generally included in tariff bundles provided by most mobile network operators and are charged at the same rate as national calls, in view of the fact that the number of mobile phones exceed the number of landlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14486/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

My Department is not in a position at present to introduce the 076 number. However, the Department has recently gone to tender for a Fixed Voice Framework Agreement. Dependant on the outcome of this tender the Department will then be in a better position to examine the possibility of the introduction of the 076 number.