asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the serious delays in handling telephone calls at Ballina and other exchanges in County Mayo; if he proposes to install automatic equipment so as to eliminate such delays; and if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Telephone Service.
83.
Normally there is no serious delay in the handling of telephone calls at Ballina or other exchanges in County Mayo. Occasional delays may occur at very busy periods but generally speaking these are not serious.
The exchanges in question are not included in the current programme for introduction of automatic working. They will be considered for inclusion in the next conversion programme.
Is the Minister serious when he suggests he is not aware of any serious delay in phone calls in the town of Ballina and other centres? Where is he getting his information? That is utter nonsense. During the year there were delays in these calls. The equipment in Ballina and other centres is obsolete.
My information is from the records of the calls from the time they are booked and connected. That is the factual information available to me. I have nothing else to go on.
I only wish the Minister were living down there. If he had to make use of the telephone service in those areas, he would have a different view of the whole situation.