asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware of the unsatisfactory postal and telephone arrangements for Ballybunion, County Kerry; that letters posted in Ballybunion after 4.35 p.m. on Saturday will not be delivered in Dublin until the following Wednesday, while a letter posted at 7.30 a.m. on Monday in a town less than ten miles away will be delivered on Tuesday; that delays up to six hours are caused in telephone calls by reason of the fact that only one wire exists between Ballybunion and Listowel; and whether, having regard to the fact that Ballybunion is one of Ireland's most popular holiday resorts for Irish and overseas holiday makers, many of whom are businessmen who require adequate postal and telephonic facilities, he will take immediate steps to have the position improved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballybunion Postal and Telephone Arrangements.
I am aware that the postal facilities in Ballybunion have not been satisfactory in recent years due to the restricted train services on the Limerick-Tralee line.
A recent examination of the position, however, enabled the Department to introduce, as from 15th instant, an additional letter mail despatch from Ballybunion to Tralee by bus at 3.0 p.m. Correspondence included in this mail for Dublin and the south generally will be delivered on the following morning.
Letters posted in Dublin at the G.P.O. and College Green up to 6 p.m. are delivered in Ballybunion at 12.35 p.m. next day. An earlier delivery at Ballybunion is not practicable at present owing to the comparatively late hour of the arrival of the inward night mails at Listowel.
There is some delay on telephone calls between Ballybunion and Listowel, and arrangements are being made to provide an additional circuit as soon as the circumstances permit. The main delay, however, arises on calls to places beyond Listowel and is due to the general congestion on trunk routes. Steps are being taken to provide the additional trunk circuits needed as rapidly as possible.