Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2015
53. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding citizen's information telephone numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22612/15]
View answerThe Citizens Information Service operated a LoCall telephone service for a number of years. Due to the deregulation of the telephony market and the introduction of different packages and plans for residential customers, as well as the rise in numbers of people owning mobile phones, the costs to customers of calling this LoCall service could vary and in most cases were proving expensive.
The introduction of a new 0761 prefix for Citizens Information and Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) telephone numbers is part of a Government initiative to reduce call costs for both public bodies and customers. The previous ‘geographic numbers’ (i.e. ordinary landline numbers such as ‘021’ for Cork or ‘01’ for Dublin) were replaced in each Citizens Information Centre by the 0761 number. Calls to 0761 numbers are charged at national call rates, from both landlines and mobile numbers and are included in the bundle of minutes offered by most, if not all, major telephone service providers. Accordingly, customers calling 0761 numbers should not have to pay any additional costs.
If any customer has a particular concern about the call charges for ringing the Citizens Information Service or Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), they should advise the officer handling the call, and they will call the customer back.
