asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone will be installed for a person (name supplied) in County Meath who paid a deposit over three months ago.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
21.
By the end of this month.
What is the delay in installing this phone because normally the Department try to have it installed before the three-month period is up? It is now five months.
The Deputy is aware, in view of my correspondence with him, of all the circumstances affecting this case. The installation involves using about 2½ miles of spare aerial cable and the provision of nearly two miles of linework, including about half a mile of new pole route. The offering of service was later than expected. The delay in completing the work has exceeded the usual period of two to three months and I regret that.
22.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange to have a telephone installed at an early date for a person (name supplied) in Leixlip, County Kildare.
It is hoped to have the telephone installed for the person referred to by the Deputy within the next four months.
The Minister is probably aware that this applicant feels that others in the area, who are not as needy as himself, have been dealt with before now. Could the Minister help me to convey to this person that political patronage plays no part whatsoever in the installation of telephones in this area?
Absolutely not. If the Deputy can supply me with any information tending in the direction which he implies I will have the matter investigated.
I am sure that once the Minister tells him that he will be satisfied.
23.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why the penny slot in public telephones is, in many cases, sealed; and if, in view of the inconvenience caused to users of such telephones, he will make a statement on the matter.
It was necessary to seal the 1p slots in the coin-boxes used in automatic areas because the mechanism could not be adjusted with sufficient accuracy to ensure that local calls could not be made for 3p instead of 4p. My Department have not received any complaints about the sealing of the slots.
Can we take it that future increases in telephone charges will be at least 2p or a multiple of 2p?
I will bear that suggestion in mind.