asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, in view of the fact that there are no private telephones in Belgard estate, Tallaght, Dublin, he will consider the immediate provision of a public kiosk.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Kiosk for Dublin Estate.
44.
Yes indeed. I hope the Belgard estate will have its kiosk within the next six months or so. It is my Department's policy to do their best to provide kiosks in new housing estates, like Belgard, where there are difficulties, as unfortunately there are at present, in meeting the demand for private telephones.
Would the Minister indicate what are the priorities in terms of population where he feels that kiosks are justified?
This is a rather complex question. Perhaps the Deputy might care to put down a question on this matter. The problem in answering it off-the-cuff is that there will have to be different systems of priorities applied for rural and urban areas. It is difficult to weigh the two.
The Minister should reconsider the whole attitude to telephones. Tallaght is a well-populated area and it has 50 telephones but in rural areas there are no telephones. There are pockets of people without a telephone service.
I cannot allow the Deputy to make a speech on the matter.
The Deputy's question does not arise on the question before the House.
Ignoring the west again.
45.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will provide a public telephone kiosk at Kilclonfert, County Offaly, in view of the fact that there is no telephone in the area.
My Department have not been providing kiosks in areas such as Kilclonfert where there is no post office. I do not at present propose to change the existing practice.
How are the people in an area such as Kilclonfert to make a telephone call in an emergency? What are the plans of the Department for areas such as Kilclonfert?
The nearest public telephone to Kilclonfert is a call office telephone at Croghan sub-post office which is two miles away. Callers are facilitated there during business hours and at all times in the case of an emergency. The nearest street kiosk is at Daingean, which is three miles away. A number of rural districts can make out a reasonably good case for a kiosk. I would like to have them more widely available but it does cost money. The practice I have referred to has been standard practice under the previous Government. The Deputy should appreciate that point and while I am willing to reconsider this matter it would be a question of revising existing practice. I would need to evolve some alternative system of priority and reallocation of scarce resources. These resources are scarce.
The Minister has stated that he agrees with the standard practice introduced by the previous Government.
If I did not agree, and if I cease to agree, with the existing practice I will change it.
May I ask the Minister if he is prepared to do that now?
I have the matter under review.
I should like to know what "under review" means. It could be under review for years and years.
For 16 years.
I am calling Question No. 46.
I have asked the Minister a question.
The Deputy has asked a number of questions.
(Interruptions.)
If the Deputies opposite would allow me to answer the questions put it would be a lot easier for everyone.
Would the Minister consider using carrier pigeons?
The Deputy should be reasonable about this.
If the Deputies opposite continue like this they will end up in a telephone kiosk.
We are dealing with the serious needs of people and I do not think they should be made the object of jokes. A serious question was put to me about this matter. The whole question of the allocation of these and other scarce resources necessarily must be kept under continuous review and changed where necessary.
46.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider having a telephone kiosk provided at Blennerville, Tralee, county Kerry.
The use made of the call office in the sub-post office at Blennerville is not yet enough to justify provision of a street kiosk. Use of the call office is increasing however and if the increase continues Blennerville may be included in the kiosk programme for the financial year 1974-5.
47.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider having a telephone kiosk provided at Connolly Park, Tralee, County Kerry.
The area in question is already served by two telephone kiosks in Rock Street which are not much used. There is no case for an additional kiosk in the general area. The matter will, however, be reconsidered if demand shows a significant increase.
48.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will have a telephone kiosk erected at the Mills, Ballyvourney, Macroom, County Cork for the benefit of local people.
The use made of the call-office telephone in the sub-post office at Ballyvourney is not yet enough to justify provision of a street kiosk. If, however, the use of the telephone increases significantly, the position will be re-examined.
49.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will give urgent consideration to the erection of a public telephone kiosk at or adjacent to Ballaghderg, Letterkenny, County Donegal.
My Department have not been providing kiosks in areas such as Ballaghderg where there is no post office. I do not at present propose to change the existing policy.
May I draw the attention of the Minister to the fact that the availability of telephone facilities to people in this newly developed area has worsened in the recent past as a result of the re-location of the local post office which had reasonably served them? I am referring to the Ellistrin post office which was relocated quite a distance away.
I am prepared to reconsider this matter in the light of the circumstances mentioned by the Deputy, of which I was not aware. I cannot say what would be the result of such a review.
50.
asked the Minister for Posts and telegraphs if he will sanction the erection of a telephone kiosk at Suncroft, The Curragh, County Kildare.
Not enough use is made of the call-office telephone at Suncroft post office to justify putting up a street kiosk there at present. If, however, the use made of the telephone were to increase significantly the position would be re-examined.
No doubt the Minister is aware that recently 40 county council houses have been erected at Suncroft. Can he state if he is prepared to honour an offer made by his predecessor whereby telephone kiosks would be guaranteed by the county council against loss, the Minister being prepared to erect kiosks if we were prepared to guarantee them?
Yes, certainly.
51.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the traders in the Rathcoole, Dublin shopping centre will receive telephone connections.
I am glad to say that terms are being quoted to the traders concerned and they are likely to have service within six weeks or so of completion of agreements.
Arising out of the last 16 questions——
I would ask the Deputy not to make a laughing stock of Question Time. I am calling Question No. 52.
They have been 16 years in office——
(Interruptions.)
This is completely disorderly. I would ask Deputy Coogan to resume his seat. I am calling Question No. 52.
52.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason for the different rental quotations to people on the Rath Road at Kilmore, Kilcock, County Meath; and if he will consider reducing the quotations in view of the fact that most people on that road are applicants for telephones.
Standard rentals apply up to three miles radial distance from the nearest exchange, and an additional charge of £1.60 a year applies to each furlong, or part of a furlong, over three miles. The rentals quoted to the applicants with whom the Deputy is concerned are based on the radial distance from the exchange in each case. As rental charges must be fair to everybody I cannot grant a reduction in favour of any individual or group.
In view of the fact that nearly every household on this road, which is practically one mile in length, is getting a private phone, would the Minister not consider charging the same rate to all? As many households are getting telephones at the same time it is unlikely that the Department will have to come back to that area again.
I have to take into consideration the varying claims of urban and rural districts. We are trying to be equally fair to both and also equally fair to all applicants.