asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the cause of the delay in installing telephones for the many applicants requiring them to enable them to transact their business successfully; and, further, if he will state the number awaiting attention in each of the five exchange areas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Installation of Telephones.
Mr. Byrne
The delay in meeting applications for telephone service is due to the accumulated arrears of work from the years when supplies of engineering stores were virtually unobtainable and to the greatly increased demand for telephones coinciding with an extensive programme of capital works for improvement of the telephone service.
There were in all 5,500 applicants awaiting telephones on the 31st May, 1952, of which 3,425 were for service in the area of Dublin. The remainder were divided between the other main engineering districts as follows:—
|
Cork |
450 |
|
Limerick |
500 |
|
Waterford |
275 |
|
Dublin West |
850 |
The Deputy may be interested to learn that the number of telephones installed in Dublin during the first five months of this year was 2,241, an increase of 367 on the corresponding figures for last year.
Mr. Byrne
Continue that progress.