asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that new regulations have been issued to the telephone exchange officials whereby they are now prohibited from transferring a subscriber's call from his home number to another number at which he might be found; and, if so, if he will state why this regulation has been enforced in view of the fact that many of the subscribers concerned may book a call from home but may be in their offices when it matures and cannot get it at the office number.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Regulations.
The connection of a telephone number to a number other than that from which it is booked gives rise to difficulties in operating and control of the call and is, therefore, not permitted by the regulations. The rule is one of long standing and has not been altered.
I beg to give notice that I will raise on the adjournment the matter of my question and I will produce evidence.
I did not quite catch the Minister's answer to my question, but is he aware of the inconvenience that is being caused by these regulations? I presume he often finds himself in the position of having a call transferred. Does he not know of the inconvenience to business people especially where there is any delay in getting the number called?
The facility requested by Deputy Doyle may have been given occasionally by operators, unofficially, notwithstanding the existence of a rule against it. This is particularly likely in the case of small country exchanges, where no very great difficulty might arise, but telephone operators are at present working under conditions of exceptional difficulty and it would not be possible to agree to the granting of any new facilities which would add to the complexity of their work.
It is not a new regulation. It is one the Minister has changed recently and I want him to revert to the old practice of allowing the privilege of having a number transferred if it is not obtainable at the time of call.
I am assured that the rule has always been the same and has not been changed but the facility has been given against the existing rule.