asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the cause of the long delay in providing a telephone service for a person, name supplied, at Aughcurreen, Killarney, County Kerry; whether any progress has been made towards the provision of this service for him as a matter of urgency on medical and business grounds; and the cost to the State of any work carried out to provide the service to date.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Written Answers. - Telephone Service.
5.
The delay is due to difficulty in obtaining in sufficient quantity from contractors certain items of stores, deliveries of which have been slow and inadequate owing to the energy crisis, the introduction of the reduced working week in Britain last winter and the world shortage of steel. It is hoped that service will be provided for the person concerned in a month or so. The answer to the last part of the question is £1,000.
6.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of applicants on the waiting list for telephones in the Lucan area of County Dublin.
7.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when applicants on the waiting list for telephones in the Lucan area of County Dublin will be facilitated.
I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together.
There are about 540 waiting applications in the Lucan exchange area, of which about 140 are having attention at present. A further 150 will, it is expected, have attention progressively during the next six months or so according as underground cabling, mainly to serve the still developing housing estates in the area, can be completed. The remainder, comprising mainly applications made this year, will, I am afraid, have to await the completion of an extension of the exchange which, it is hoped, will be in service in late 1976.
8.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when applicants on the waiting list for telephones in the Blanchardstown area, County Dublin will be facilitated.
There is a shortage of equipment in Blanchardstown exchange. Additional equipment on order is expected to be brought into service next autumn. There are about 275 waiting applications on hand of which 20 are having attention at present. It is hoped that service will be provided for the majority of the remainder within the three months following installation of the additional equipment.
9.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when applicants on the waiting list for telephones in the Firhouse area, County Dublin will be facilitated.
A new exchange at Tallaght which will also serve the Firhouse area is due to come into service next month. It is expected that most of the 210 waiting applications will be cleared within the ensuing three months.
10.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange for the provision of a public telephone kiosk at Coole East, Dublin Pike, Cork.
My Department are not at present providing kiosks in areas such as Coole East where there is no post office.
11.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number and the location of public telephone kiosks planned for County Wicklow in 1975.
It is planned to provide nine telephone kiosks in County Wicklow in 1975 at the following places: Annacurra, Ballard, Killincarrig, Lacken, Moyne, Stratford-on-Slaney, Wicklow town and two in the Bray area, namely, at Boghall Road and the Bray-Kilmacanogue Road.
Question No. 12 postponed.
13.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when work will begin on the much needed telephone exchange at Millstreet, County Cork.
The Commissioners of Public Works expect work to commence on the exchange building early in the new year.
14.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will now accept co-operative societies and voluntary organisations as guarantors against financial loss in respect of the erection of telephone kiosks.
My Department are prepared to provide kiosks under guarantee from co-operative societies and voluntary organisations subject to satisfactory sureties being forthcoming.
15.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, in view of the appeal of the Minister for Finance for the conservation of energy, he will liberalise his policy in regard to the provision of public telephone kiosks for centres of population with the object of persuading people to use telephones rather than cars.
Under existing policy kiosks have been provided in every sizeable centre throughout the country. Outside these centres kiosks have been or are being provided where they are likely to be used to any appreciable extent. I do not consider that any change of policy is required to achieve the object mentioned by the Deputy.