asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the plans, if any, he has for the erection of vandal-proof telephone kiosks throughout the Twenty-six Counties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
25.
Changes have been made in the design of kiosks to make them more resistant to damage but so far as I am aware a vandal-proof street kiosk has not yet been designed anywhere in the world. It is planned, however, to introduce stronger coinboxes in kiosks sited in those areas where there has been the most vandalism. These boxes will have solid steel casings and will be equipped with specially reinforced handsets and cords.
26.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of telephone kiosks to be erected in Laois/Offaly this year and their location.
Twelve are planned for the current financial year at the following places: Aghavoe, Ballybrophy, Birr, Camross, Castlejordan, Clough, Croghan, Pike of Rushall, Portlaoise, Rahan, Screggan, Tullamore.
I am sure that the Minister is aware that Castlejordan is in County Meath.
27.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the plans, if any, he has for improving the present telephone services.
28.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of complaints received by his Department in the past three months regarding the present telephone service.
29.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if any investigation has been undertaken by or on behalf of his Department on the number of complaints received in connection with the telephone service; and, if so, to what effect.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 28 and 29 together.
The number of recorded complaints about the telephone service— written and oral—received by the Department in the three months to 30th June last was 5,000 approximately. This figure does not include fault reports, requests for assistance in connection with service difficulties, et cetera, unless the person concerned made a specific complaint.
Each complaint is investigated with a view to prompt remedial action where possible. It is replied to by letter or in certain cases dealt with by telephone or by interviewing the person concerned. The matters which give rise to subscriber complaint, for example, delays in answering by exchanges, difficulties in making calls over the STD system, the incidence of faults in the larger exchanges, are monitored more or less continuously on a sampling basis and the information obtained is analysed quarterly in order to identify the causes and extent of difficulties affecting the service. The main result of these analyses in relation to the present quality of service may be stated briefly as emphasising the need for extra equipment, trunk lines and other facilities on an extensive scale.
I am very conscious of the need to improve the service. I stated in reply to the Estimate debate that equipment to the value of over £25 million was already on order. Much of this is in course of being installed in exchanges in Dublin and elsewhere, more is in course of manufacture. Further substantial orders are being placed and various development schemes are in advanced planning stages. The telephone system is at present under considerable strain because of mounting demands being made on it. The position will be relieved according as the additional equipment is brought into service. Plans to cater for further necessary improvements and developments over the next few years are in preparation and I shall give full details when the new Telephone Capital Bill is introduced in the autumn.
As I pointed out in my reply to the Estimate debate, many of the present difficulties are due to past under-capitalisation and, in particular, to stringent cuts in the capital provision made in the year 1970-71. The then Minister for Posts and Telegraphs rightly pointed out at that time that the damaging effects of these cuts would be felt in the telephone service for years to come, and they are being felt now. My Department are making every effort to improve the situation. As telephone development is essentially a matter of good advanced planning it takes some time for the effect of decisions, good or bad, to be reflected in the standard of service.
Is the Minister aware of a recent phenomenon in connection with telephones in the centre city area? One hears the dialling tone but finds that, in fact, the telephone is not ringing? This has been reported to me on numerous occasions in the past eight to ten weeks. I am told it is due to low power.
I thank the Deputy. I shall have the matter looked into and I will communicate with the Deputy.
30.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will have a public telephone kiosk erected at or near Drimfries post office, County Donegal.
The use made of the call-office telephone in the sub-post office at Drimfries is not yet enough to justify provision of a street kiosk there. If, however, the use made of the telephone increases significantly, the position will be re-examined.
31.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will indicate the priorities he considers necessary to justify providing a public telephone kiosk for a townland or village.
In rural areas kiosks are provided only in replacement of public call-offices in sub-post offices which are used to a fair extent. The order of priority of places to be included in the annual kiosk programme is determined by the use made of the call-office in each case, as indicated by the receipts. In areas close to cities, towns and other centres which already have kiosks, it is the practice not to provide extra kiosks unless they are likely to be used sufficiently to cover fully the annual costs involved. In assessing the prospects of this condition being met, account is taken of such factors as distance from existing kiosks, the number of private telephones and rented public coinboxes in the area, the number and kind of houses in the area et cetera. Exceptionally, kiosks may be provided, in advance of the stage where they are likely to pay their way, in new housing estates where there are prospects of extensive development. There is no priority list for extra kiosks; they are provided as quickly as practicable subject to any wayleave or site difficulties.
32.
Mr. G. FitzGerald
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his Department have plans prepared for the erection of a telephone kiosk at Cloughduv, County Cork; and, if so, when it is intended to have this kiosk erected.
33.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will provide a public telephone for the village of Glencullen, County Dublin.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 33 together. My Department have not been providing kiosks in rural areas such as Cloughduv and Glencullen where there is no post office and I do not at present propose to change the existing policy.
Would the Minister not consider there is a social need in outlying areas, like Glencullen, particularly in a case of emergency? The present position means people have to come down the mountain to the nearest phone.
These factors are taken into consideration, but the Deputy will appreciate it is a matter of allocating scarce resources. Any representations the Deputy wishes to make in any particular instance I shall always be happy to have.
Question No. 34.
Arising out of the Minister's reply——
Is the Deputy dealing with his Question No. 34 now?
A Cheann Comhairle, you did not give me the right to ask a supplementary question on a question I have down. It is Question No. 32.
The Deputy did not offer.
I beg your pardon. I was on my feet.
The Chair did not see the Deputy.
I was on my feet and I addressed you as you were calling Question No. 34.
May I intercede for the Deputy? I will be happy to take the Deputy's question.
I thank the Minister. I think it is unfair, a Cheann Comhairle, when I was standing, that you should say you were not able to see me.
I did not see the Deputy.
I accept that, but I was on my feet. You could not see me. You were looking straight ahead.
The Deputy is not well placed to catch the Ceann Comhairle's eye.
I accept that. But the Ceann Comhairle should have realised then——
If the Deputy would alert the Chair to his presence by calling the Chair.
I could not interrupt while the Minister was speaking.
Let us make some progress now.
Would the Minister not review the situation from the point of view of the decision to place telephone kiosks only where there are sub-post offices? In rural areas there may be a number of houses remote from post offices, depending probably on a local licensed premises, or something like that, for telephone facilities. Would the Minister not review the situation from the point of view of villages of a certain size and with a certain population?
I shall keep the matter under review and, if the Deputy succeeds in convincing me of the case for a change in the existing practice, I shall certainly be prepared to make that change. So far, I am afraid I remain unconvinced.
34.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether his Department has further plans for the erection of telephone kiosks at Ballincollig, County Cork.
A second kiosk was provided in Ballincollig in May. The question of providing a third kiosk will be reviewed in about six months in the light of the use made of the two existing kiosks.
35.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the amount of money being provided by his Department for the erection of subsidised rural telephone kiosks during the present financial year.
About £64,000.
Under what circumstances would you have a subsidised rural telephone kiosk?
This question has been answered on a fair number of occasions in this House. The priorities in the provision of kiosks have been outlined rather often and I do not think I could properly deal with this in the form of a supplementary reply to a question about cost.
36.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the steps he is taking to provide an adequate telecommunication service in Ballinamore, County Leitrim.
Additional switchboards and trunk outlets have recently been provided at Carrick-on-Shannon exchange which have, I understand, greatly improved the trunk service to and from Ballinamore. Some extra circuits between Ballinamore and Carrick-on-Shannon are expected about the end of the year.
I know what the Minister says is true, but it has not improved the service. I should like to make the Minister aware of that fact and I would ask him if he would consider making further arrangements. It takes approximately two hours to call any of the major cities from Ballinamore. Could the Minister tell us if a new cable will be laid between Carrick-on-Shannon and Ballinamore and what are the possibilities of an automatic system connecting Ballinamore?
I understand there was serious delay in trunk calls to and from Ballinamore up to the end of June last. This was due mainly to a temporary shortage of switchboards and trunk outlets at Carrick-on-Shannon, the trunk control exchange for the area. Nine additional switchboards were brought into service in Carrick-on-Shannon on 29th June which brought the total number of switchboards to 23. There is still some slight delay. This is my official information but I am, of course, quite prepared to consider representations from the Deputy on calls to and from Ballinamore during peak traffic periods.
Three extra Carrick-on-Shannon/ Ballinamore circuits are expected to be provided about the end of the year. The provision of further circuits will require a major cabling scheme in the area. Unfortunately, at this stage I cannot give the Deputy any reliable estimate as to when this can be undertaken. Representations on this matter have been received and met to a very considerable extent.
Could I ask the Minister to take this matter up again? I know work has been done, but the problem is still with us and I should like him to look at it and see if anything further can be done.
I shall certainly keep it under review and I am always open to communications from the Deputy on the subject.
Question Time will resume again at 6.30 p.m. and continue to 7.30 p.m.