asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when direct dialling to cross-channel, European and trans-Atlantic countries will be available to subscribers outside Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
8.
Direct dialling facilities from ordinary—that is noncoinbox—telephones will be made available to subscribers in the Cork, Galway, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford areas to the London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow areas in about three months and to the Edinburgh area later in the year. The facilities will be extended progressively to other automatic areas throughout the country according as necessary engineering works are completed. Some further large exchange areas will, it is expected, have the facilities by the end of the year.
The subscriber dialling facilities to the Continent and beyond at present available from central Dublin areas will be extended in February to the whole "01" area and to Shannon. They too will be extended progressively to other automatic exchanges throughout the country according as the engineering works required are carried out. It is expected that the major provincial exchange areas will have the facilities by the end of next year.
Could I ask the Minister whether this extension of cross-channel and transatlantic dialling is in any way inhibiting or delaying the much-needed extension of subscriber dialling within the country?
In other words, it can go on even though many areas are still without that type of service within our own territory and it is not the cause of this delay?
No. It is the policy of the Government in the interests of the public generally to develop simultaneously internal communications and communications with other countries which are sorely needed for the development of industry in the whole country. I am surprised that the Deputy should suggest that that effort should be held back. In this area we are engaged in catching up with the huge accumulated backlog which has left our telephone system underdeveloped. We will, as my answer made clear, push ahead with this important development and as I stated recently, at the opening of Crown Alley, we expect a very major development in internal communications also. It is not the Government's policy to allow one to interfere with the other. Capital has been provided on a scale which is adequate for the Department to undertake this development in both cases.
I agree that the Minister was asked a specific question and he gave a general answer. I asked a supplementary on his general answer. The Minister should seriously consider the content of my original supplementary whether or not in relation to the remote parts of the country, one of which I come from, it is right to leave them neglected because of the lack of capital.
This is repetition.
(Interruptions.)
I think the Deputy, on reflection, will agree that that observation was not justified.
The Minister implied——
I implied nothing.
The Minister implied something which was totally unfair. I am talking about those remote areas which have not got a telephone service.
If the Deputy puts down a question about his constituency, he can have a reply.
That was a propaganda effort.
This is not good enough at Question Time.
(Interruptions.)
Is it true that if one dials directly from here to a European centre it is not always possible to directly dial from that centre to this country?
Yes.
Can that situation be rectified?
It can be rectified with the help of the European administration concerned.
Will the Minister take an interest in it?
I take considerable interest in all of this.
Does the Minister not think it is self-defeatist if we have direct dialling to centres and they have not direct dialling with us?
I do not control the telephone systems of other countries.
I accept that. Those countries are very lucky that that is the situation.
(Interruptions.)
Will the Minister make any effort to rectify this?
The Deputy has repeated a question which he has asked already.
The Minister has not replied to my question. I am asking him if there is anything he can do about improving this situation.
I have answered the Deputy's question.
I do not know what the Minister's answer to my question is.
The Deputy can look at the record.
On a point of order, I asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs a very direct question in relation to this matter and he has not answered it.
I have answered the Deputy's question already.
I did not hear it. Would the Minister be courteous enough to repeat it.
My answer was that the matter concerned faults in other European telephone administrations which I do not control.
Is there any action the Minister can take?
What action does the Deputy wish me to take?
The Minister should get in touch with them.
The Deputy's answer is insulting.
In view of the Minister's unsatisfactory answer, I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
While I appreciate the Minister's concern in relation to direct dialling with outside countries, would he please ensure that either manually or by direct dialling we get proper telephone communications in the country?
The question concerned cross-channel and European communications.