asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the percentage of the population who are telephone subscribers; and if he will give similar particulars for such parts of the country as are recorded in his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Subscribers.
12.
6.2 per cent of the population are telephone subscribers and the number of telephones connected to the public system is equivalent to 8.5 per cent of the population. As I informed the Deputy recently, telephones are recorded under the exchanges with which they are connected. Population statistics are not available in this form and I regret that it is not possible, certainly not without an inordinate expenditure of time and effort, to give fully the information sought by the Deputy in the second part of his question. In an attempt to meet the Deputy's inquiry so far as is reasonably possible, I am having figures of population and subscribers compiled for the exchanges serving the principal areas of population and when these become available I shall communicate with the Deputy.
I am grateful to the Minister.