asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the average period that elapses between the application for telephone service and the installation of such service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Provision of Telephone Service.
17.
The average period is not precisely known but examination of a batch of applications recently cleared suggests that it would be of the order of five months.
Could the Minister tell me if any connections have been made recently in Wexford and, if so, how many? My experience is that people are told it will be a considerable period before they receive the extension.
I have not got the exact figures here but I answered a question from a Wexford Deputy about the matter recently. I also answered a question on this subject early in the year and gave the number then outstanding. Practically all of these have now had their telephones installed. In the case of those waiting now, the majority of them applied during 1963.
Then may I take it that the waiting period is only five or six months ?
That is the average. As the Deputy knows, there are some individuals who have been waiting for two years and there are others who have got their telephones in less than five months.
On what does it depend?
On the ability of the engineering branch to connect the phone to the house, depending on the availability of a point in the local exchange to connect to, whether a person is in the priority list or not and the availability of spare wires in the cables.
Would the Minister agree that it depends on who recommends the applicant?
That has not a thing in the world to do with it.