asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has any plans to cater for the many applicants for telephone service in the Blarney area, County Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
153.
Arrangements have already been made to provide service for seven of the waiting applicants for telephones at Blarney and terms will be quoted to a further ten within about two months. I regret that service cannot be provided for the remaining applicants until a new exchange on order for Blarney has been installed. This work is expected to be completed by next summer.
154.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state when additional switching equipment was ordered for the Navan, County Meath telephone exchange; from whom it was ordered; how much it will cost; when it is likely to be installed; and, if he is aware that the lack of adequate switching equipment is both delaying the connection of new subscribers and ensuring bad service for existing subscribers in the Navan telephone exchange area.
Following the installation of additional switching equipment in Navan this year the switching capacity is now adequate for the present volume of traffic. An order for substantial quantities of additional equipment to provide for further development in the Navan area was placed last February with L. M. Ericsson Ltd. The cost will be about £90,000. Portion of this equipment is expected to be installed by August next. I regret that in the meantime only a limited number of new telephones can be connected so as to avoid the risk of overloading the present equipment. The balance of the installation is due to be completed about the end of 1973.
Is the Minister aware that the difficulties in relation to the connection of new telephones are so great that people who have telephones in other areas and who move into the Navan area, as many people are doing at present, cannot get their phones reconnected in the Navan area?
I am aware of the situation as described by the Deputy.
Would the Minister not agree that this is an exceptionally bad situation?
I would say that it is an undesirable position.
155.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state where in County Meath telephone kiosks will be provided during 1972 and 1973.
158.
andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state where in County Kildare telephone kiosks will be provided during 1972 and 1973.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 155 and 158 together.
The kiosk programme for the financial year 1972-73 has not yet been settled but present indications are that kiosks will be erected before the end of March, 1973 at Ballinabrackey, Hayes, Rathkenny and Robinstown, County Meath and Allenwood, Broadford, Mageney and Nurney, County Kildare.
I regret that it is not practicable to say what kiosks will be erected during the rest of 1973. The full kiosk programme for the financial year 1973-74 will not be settled until early in 1973.
156.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when he will provide (a) a 24-hour service and (b) an automatic service in the Longwood telephone exchange area, County Meath.
159.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when he will provide (a) a 24-hour service and (b) an automatic service in the Cadamstown, County Kildare telephone exchange area.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 156 and 159 together.
I regret that it is not possible to say at this stage when a 24-hour service or an automatic service will be provided in Longwood, County Meath, and Cadamstown, County Kildare, telephone exchanges.
Can the Minister say if there is any priority in relation to the provision of a 24-hour service in the exchanges in these areas? Is he aware of the fact that there is an expanding population in both of these areas and that it is highly desirable that he should keep the position in these areas under review?
The Deputy should be aware that the provision of a 24-hour service is not normally considered until the number of subscribers at an exchange approaches 40. I understand that we have not got that number yet in the areas mentioned by the Deputy, but nine subscribers at Longwood and four at Cadamstown have continuous service by means of switching to another exchange when their local exchanges are closed.
Would the Minister not agree that this involves some extra cost to the subscribers concerned?
It involves a little cost to the subscribers, but to provide what the Deputy wants would be far more costly on the taxpayers of the country as a whole.
157.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the Summerhill telephone exchange in County Meath is likely to become automatic.
I regret that it is not possible to say at this stage when Summerhill exchange is likely to be converted to automatic working.