asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of applicants awaiting telephone service from the exchange in Greystones, County Wicklow; the proposals he has at present to meet their requirements; and if he will outline his development plan for the exchange for the next five years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
44.
There are about 230 waiting applications for telephone service in the Greystones exchange area of which about 40 are at present having attention.
Additional exchange equipment is being installed which on the basis of information from the contractor is expected to be in service about July next. It is hoped to provide service for about 150 of the 190 remaining waiting applicants by about October next and the balance by early next year. A further extension is planned for early 1977. These two extensions should meet requirements during the next five years.
Can the Minister confirm that some of the equipment is being transferred from the exchange at Bray to the one at Greystones?
I have no information in that regard but if the Deputy wishes to contact my office, I will get the information for him.
45.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why a telephone has not been installed for a turf accountant (name supplied) in County Dublin who awaits its installation to open a betting office.
Provision of service has been delayed because of a shortage of underground cable to serve the premises in question. Service will be given as soon as practicable after the necessary cabling work has been completed—probably early next month.
46.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of applications he has received for telephones in Tullamore, County Offaly, in the past 12 months, the number of telephones installed and the number on the waiting list.
The answer is 95, 93 and 100 respectively.
As there are many people in Tullamore awaiting the installation of telephones can the Minister indicate when they will be accommodated?
I am afraid that I have not got very good news for the Deputy. The existing exchange at Tullamore has a subscribers' termination capacity of 1,100 but because of congestion 200 of these are barred from use and are unlikely to become available for use before the auxiliary exchange is installed. At present there are only 20 spare terminations. An auxiliary exchange is proposed for long-term relief by mid-1977 and interim relief by way of a mobile exchange is expected to be available early in 1976.
Can the Minister state what will be the extent of this auxiliary service and the number of telephones that will be provided as a result of it?
That would seem to be a separate question.
Is the Minister aware that Tullamore town is handicapped severely by a lack of telephones?
I am aware of the problem the Deputy mentioned but, unfortunately, due to shortage of capital in the past for telephone development, it applies in a number of other areas too. We are endeavouring to catch up.
Is not the Minister doing a great job?
We were left with some problem.
It is deteriorating by the hour.
The fault lies with the Minister's predecessor.
Question No. 47, please.
Deputy Fitzgerald might allow the Minister finish replying to me.
It is not for Deputy Enright to dictate to me.
I cannot give Deputy Enright any definite reply as to the relief that will result from the auxiliary service. This will not be known until the service is in operation.
(Interruptions.)
Would Deputies please allow questions to continue?
47.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone will be installed on the building site at the new primary school at Blackcastle, Navan, County Meath, for a person (name supplied); and the reason for the delay in dealing with this matter.
Service was provided on 15th January. The application which was made on 19th November would have been attended to earlier but for a misunderstanding about permission for the erection of a section of pole route.
I fail to understand how this misunderstanding could have arisen considering the applicant called to the office at Navan on a number of occasions and also that he corresponded with the Department in Dublin.
I understand that the application was made on 19th November, 1974, for the removal of a telephone service from one building site at Navan to another and that it was necessary to obtain an engineer's report on the work involved. The report confirmed that the work could be done but that a private wayleave had to be negotiated. As a result of further inquiries prompted by a letter from the subscriber it was ascertained on 12th January that the wayleave related merely to securing the agreement of the developer to the location of two telephones on the new site. This agreement was obtained on January 12th and arrangements were made to have the work put in hand. The service was provided on January 15th.
Is the Minister aware that a distance of only 400 yards between one site and the other was involved?
I understand that the service has been provided.
48.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange for the erection of a telephone kiosk either outside Knockbrett post office or at Moyglass, County Tipperary.
49.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange for the erection of a telephone kiosk at Monard village, County Tipperary.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together.
Arrangements are in train to provide a kiosk at Moyglass and Monard Village, County Tipperary under local authority guarantee.
Would the Minister say when the telephone kiosks will be erected and maybe even officially opened by him?
Within the next three to four months.
In Monard village itself.
Yes, in Monard and Moyglass.
Is the Minister saying that the telephone kiosk will be erected within four months?
The information from my Department is that it is hoped to provide the kiosk within the next three months.
I will not accept the Minister shifting responsibility. Is he saying definitely that within the next three or four months there will be telephone kiosks in the villages of Moyglass and Monard?
I will repeat what I have already told the Deputy. It is hoped——
The Minister said his Department told him——
I am speaking for the Department. It is hoped to provide the kiosks within the next three to four months. That is a statement.
Would the Minister like to give a guarantee?
If I had wished to give a guarantee I would have done so.
Question No. 50.
50.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange for the provision of a public telephone kiosk as a matter of urgency at Woodlawn, Killarney, County Kerry, where there is an increasing population and two new housing estates.
It is planned to provide a kiosk in the Woodlawn area this year.