asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the type of machinery by which telephonic communication is maintained between the mainland and Oileán na mBlascaod; when it was first installed; the number of days, in each month since the 1st January, 1946, on which it was out of order for the whole or part of the day; the general nature of the defect causing this breakdown; and whether it is intended to establish a more trustworthy means of communication with the island.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Communication with Blasket Islands.
Communication with Oileán na mBlascaod is effected by means of short wave radio telephone apparatus working between Dunquin post office on the mainland and the island office. The apparatus is battery operated and the batteries are charged by windchargers as no other power supply is available. The service was established on the 19th June, 1941.
Since 1st January, 1946, communication with the island was wholly interrupted for the following periods:— February, 1946, three days; April, 1946, two days; July, 1946, ten days; August, 1946, five days; September, 1946, two days; November, 1946, 15 days; December, 1946, 19 days; January, 1947, 28 days; February, 1947, two days. There were partial interruptions of service on 38 other days.
The interruptions were due mainly to damage caused to the windchargers by weather conditions and to the fact that the engineering staff were thereby prevented from reaching the island to carry out routine maintenance of the apparatus or to effect repairs.
The only alternative means of island communication is by submarine cable but the rocky nature of the sea bed between the mainland and Oileán na mBlascaod precludes the use of cable.
Do I understand from the Minister that the fact that the windcharger has to be used to charge the batteries is the main cause of the breakdown?
Yes. I may add that I am having further inquiries made to see if we could supplement it by a power plant but there is a question of cost and availability at the moment.
Has the Minister any idea as to when he will have finished these inquiries?
It will be some little time but I will press on with it.
In the meantime is it not possible to see that the windcharger is so arranged that it can be worked without being exposed to great severity of storm?
The Deputy will realise, from his knowledge of the island, that such a thing at times is absolutely impossible, the effect of the storm there being so incalculable.