Trevor Sargent
Ceist:169 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he will be implementing the recommendations made by the Telephone Users Advisory Group in their report.
Written Answers. - Telephone Users Advisory Group.
Implementation of some of the recommendations in the report of the group (i.e. those relating to choices within the structure of the telephone bill) is a matter of day-to-day administration of the Board of Telecom Éireann.
Provision of " 1850 " numbers
Regarding the group's recommendation that " 1850 " numbers should be provided by Government Departments/Offices and the like, my understanding is that most, if not all, Departments have streamlined their handling of telephone contact with the general public in a way that is intended to keep costs for those calling in at a minimum. However, the "1850" service provided by Telecom Éireann is a premium rate service in which the charge to the recipient of the call is substantially higher than the normal cost of an equivalent call. It is essentially a matter for each Government Department to decide, as a customer of Telecom Éireann, whether or not it wishes to provide this service to the public and whether or not it can, within the confines of its administrative budget, bear the additional costs involved. I understand that a number of Departments, including my own, have examined the possibility of introducing the 1850 service and concluded, on cost grounds, that they could not justify making it generally available.
Payphones
I have noted the issues raised by the group in relation to payphones and I will keep the matter under review.
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority
I have stated on a number of occasions that it is my intention to establish an independent regulatory authority for the telecommunications sector as soon as possible. I welcome the group's suggestions in relation to the powers that might be conferred upon the authority and I will take them into consideration in framing its remit.