asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of applicants awaiting a telephone in County Wexford; and when such applicants will be serviced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Wexford Telephone Applications.
34.
The number is 369. Provision of service for over 100 of these is in hand. In the course of the current financial year it is hoped to offer service to all pre-1965 applicants and to as many as possible of 1965 applicants.
Would the Minister not agree that the backlog in County Wexford is growing rather than decreasing?
The number has increased slightly since the Deputy asked the previous question but it must be remembered that if we were immediately to instal telephones for the 369 applicants on the waiting list without first perfecting the system which is to carry them, there would be a great many complaints from the Deputy about the bad service. Trunking work had of necessity to take priority over the installation of telephones, and the trunking work is now well advanced.
While I appreciate the Minister's difficulty, I should like to point out that the service is bad already; in fact, it could not be much worse. Furthermore would the Minister not agree that when the gangs are working alongside the people who are applying for telephones it would be reasonable to instal the telephones now rather than have the people waiting for a further two years before they get service?
Something had to get priority. The system may not be working as well as we would wish but if we were to add 369 further subscribers the situation would be much worse. I can assure the Deputy that when the present trunking work is completed the service will be considerably improved, and then we can divert staff to installation work.
Do I understand the Minister aright, that if 369 more telephones are installed——
The Deputy ought to stand up when he is asking a question.
Thank you very much. I hope the question will be answered now. The Minister's predecessor has been giving me the same answer for the past four or five years. Does what the Minister said mean that they will not be able to deal with these applications at all?
The Deputy is interrupting constantly. He has asked a question that does not seem to be relevant.
Will the Minister say——
Will the Deputy please resume his seat?
Now I do not know where I am.