(Dublin Central) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider reducing the cost of a three-minute cross-Channel coin box telephone call after 6 p.m. to bring it more into line with the cost of a similar call from a private telephone.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cross-Channel Telephone Calls.
17.
To avoid loss of revenue, the Deputy's suggestion could be considered only on the basis of increasing other charges. This course is not proposed.
(Dublin Central): Would the Minister agree that there is a difference between the charge for a coin box and that for a private phone for cross-channel calls? Would the Minister further agree that instead of diminishing the returns to the Department he would increase the return to the Department because far more people would use it?
I do agree there is a difference, but I do not agree, and my advice does not suggest, that the change suggested by the Deputy would have the effect he assumes it would have. My advice is, in fact, to the contrary.
(Dublin Central): Would the Minister give any indication of the difference between private and coin box cross-channel phone calls? I am informed there is a substantial difference.
The charges are as follows: For a three minute call from a private non-coin box, local call 3.2p, coin box 4p. Internal, including Northern Ireland calls, up to 56 kilometres, private 6.4p, coin box 9p. Up to 80 kilometres 12.8p and 18p, and over 80 kilometres 19.2p and 26p. As I said, the Deputy is right in saying that there is a difference but I am not advised that a change in existing practice would have the desirable effect which he supposes.
(Dublin Central): Would the Minister agree that there is a certain aspect of discrimination between the person who has a private telephone and the person who is obliged to use a coinbox? Why should there be this differential against the person who is not the holder of a private phone?
Differentials exist in all telephone administrations. Our forms of distinction are somewhat different from those which apply in some other countries. For example, the British have separate rates for calls dialled direct and connected by operator. Calls dialled direct from non-coinbox phones cost 50 per cent more than similar calls from coinbox phones. I understand that this anomaly arises from technical limitations in their coinbox mechanism which, I understand, is being modified to permit increases in the coinbox rate.