Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2018
98. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Finance his plans to ensure that a landline telephone number is supplied along with 1850 or 1890 telephone numbers by his Department including all Revenue departments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7899/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy, I can confirm that a normal local landline phone number is provided along with an 1890 phone number for my Department, and that these numbers are available on the www.finance.gov.ie website.
As regards the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, I am informed by Revenue that the 1890 LoCall telephone service (which has been available for a number of years) is the best available service for the scale of its telephone business. However, I know that Revenue is very conscious that some of its customers are not being charged LoCall rates when making contact and have been actively seeking ways to reduce the cost burden for these customers. In that regard, Revenue is looking at new telephony technology which will provide a robust, reliable and scalable telephone service that does not rely on 1890 architecture. Revenue is also exploring the use of other technologies that will enable customers - using their existing ‘inclusive packages’ (bundle) - to ‘phone’ Revenue from links within its website and mobile app (RevApp) without incurring the 1890 telephone costs. Revenue hope to launch these, where feasible, sometime in 2018.
The Deputy may be aware that, in 2017, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) held a public consultation on the current 5 classes of “Non-Geographic Number” (NGN) – 1800 (Freephone), 1850 (Shared cost – fixed charge per call), 1890 (Shared cost – charge per minute), 0818 (Universal access), and 076 (Nomadic). Views were invited from interested parties and Revenue made a submission expressing its dissatisfaction at the rates charged for 1890 calls. In its submission, Revenue agreed with ComReg’s proposal that the retail charge that should apply to a caller for calling any of the NGN numbers at a particular point in time should not exceed the retail charge that would apply to that same caller for calling a Geographic Number at that same point in time. Revenue is awaiting the outcome of the ComReg consultation process and any recommendations therefrom.
On a wider note, I am further informed by Revenue that it has enhanced its range of online services to reduce the need for customer telephone contact. This includes a new website which is designed around customer needs which will help customers easily find the information they are looking for. In addition, Revenue has rewritten a considerable portion of the content on the website in plain language to make it easier for customers to understand.
