Michael Ring
Ceist:524 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there are plans in place to provide a locall number to all sections of her Department. [6001/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 February 2004
Ceisteanna (422)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department provides three separate locall telephone contact numbers for the schemes and services available from our offices in Sligo, Longford and Letterkenny. The schemes in question are child and treatment benefits at 1890 400 400, maternity benefit at 1890 690 690 and pensions at 1890 500 000. The independent social welfare appeals office offers a locall service at 1890 74 74 34.
Information material on all social welfare schemes and services, as well as application forms, may be requested via locall 1890 20 23 25 on a 24-hour, seven days a week basis or from the Department's website at www.welfare.ie.
Most customers of my Department can contact their nearest social welfare local office at local rates where their information needs will be met by a designated information officer.
The question of access to other service via locall will be kept under review in the context of developments in service delivery generally and of the implementation of the Government's decentralisation programme.