asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will reconsider his decision and erect an outdoor public telephone kiosk at Lobinstown, Navan, County Meath so that it can be used when the post office is closed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Kiosks.
27.
In view of the limited use made of the public telephone in the post office, a kiosk is not considered to be warranted at present.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary realises that that is a very stupid statement to make, in view of the fact that at night-time the post-office is closed down, that it is closed for a half-day on Saturday and is closed on Sunday and the only people who can use it are the people in the post office? There is no public telephone within six miles of Lobinstown except that in the post office. Would the Minister not consider putting a public kiosk outside the post office and putting the same phone in the kiosk, as has been done in a number of other places by the Minister's predecessor?
We are working the five-day week.
The only criterion would be the extent to which the telephone is being used by the public when the post office is open and the usage is not sufficient to indicate that the provision of a public telephone would be justified. There are six telephones in the immediate proximity of the village, one of which is a coin box.
The only telephones are in private houses. Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the time when telephones are needed urgently is after dark? Would he not agree that when the post office is closed, it is unreasonable to ask people to travel many miles to make calls when the position could be remedied by expending a very limited sum of money?
That holds in similar areas. If there is any indication that the provision of a kiosk is warranted, it will be provided.
How would you test that unless you had the telephone there?
It would be too late then.
28.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his Department will approve of the erection of a telephone kiosk at Ballyandreen, Ballycotton, County Cork.
A kiosk in this area would not be warranted.
29.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the need for a public telephone kiosk at Pearse Brothers' Park, Whitechurch, Rathfarnham, Dublin; and why this has not been provided for the benefit of the residents there.
As the existing public telephones in the area are only lightly used, an additional installation does not appear to be warranted at present.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that complaints have been repeatedly made about the condition of the public telephone kiosks in the area and that they have been abused by vandals? When people in Pearse Brothers' Park go to use them, they find that they are inoperable because they have been damaged by vandals. In the light of that, and in the light of the fact that this is workingclass area where telephones are needed, and even if it can be proved statistically that the Department will not make a profit on it — and I know the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs is obsessed with the idea of profits— but that it has still an urgent social purpose, will he have another look at it and provide this service? If he makes this inquiry, it will be confirmed that when people in the areas go to use the telephones, they find them unusable.
I am unaware of that, but I will have the matter looked into. Is the Deputy suggesting that we move the telephone from Ballyboden Road to the place suggested?
I would have to have notice of that question.