asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the dire necessity to improve the telephone service to an Industrial Estate in Donegal (details supplied) and if he is in a position to state when the STD system will be extended to serve west Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
21.
, (Dublin South-Central): The need to improve the telephone service in County Donegal, including service at the industrial estate referred to, is already fully recognised, and everything practicable is being done to expedite completion of improvement works at present in progress or planned. There should be a considerable improvement in the service in County Donegal generally by the end of this year when Letterkenny exchange has been converted to automatic working and when major new trunk links between Dublin and Sligo and between Sligo and Letterkenny have been brought into service.
It is expected that automatic working (including STD) will be extended to most of west Donegal in 1981/1982.
22.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will confirm when the jointing work will be completed at Grange Wood, Rathfarnham, Dublin, and telephones installed in the homes of applicants.
23.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the work that remains to be done in order to provide telephone services to the Grange Wood Estate, Rathfarnham, County Dublin; the estimated length of time such work will take, once commenced; and the estimated commencement date.
(Dublin South-Central): With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.
The work remaining to be done is the jointing of local cabling which has already been laid in the estate, and the installation of telephones. About five weeks' work is involved and it is expected to be completed early next year.
24.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the telephone kiosk at Ballinteer Avenue, Dublin, will be removed to the other side of the road.
(Dublin South-Central): It is expected this will be done in about three to four months.
25.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when work will begin on the completion of telephone installations in Broadford Hill, Elm Park, Ballinteer, Dublin.
26.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the work that remains to be done in order to complete the telephone installations for residents of Broadford Hill, Ballinteer, Dublin; and the estimated date for completion of the work.
(Dublin South-Central): With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 25 and 26 together.
The work remaining to be done is laying and jointing of local cable and the installation of telephones. It is expected to be commenced and completed in the first half of next year.
27.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of old age pensioners who have availed of the telephone rental subsidy since its introduction and who did not have a telephone when the subsidy was introduced.
(Dublin South-Central): The number of qualified persons who have applied is 6,080.
What number have had their telephones installed? They can hardly avail of the subsidy until the telephones are installed. The Minister said that 6,080 have applied. How many people have actually got their telephones?
(Dublin South-Central): The number is 1,400.
That is not many when over 6,000 have applied. This means that only one-sixth of the people who have applied have got telephones.
(Dublin South-Central): The Deputy must appreciate that there was an industrial dispute.
28.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his attention has been drawn to the unsatisfactory telephone service in the Macroom area, County Cork, and the resulting severe hindrance to the commercial, industrial and social life of the area; and if he will indicate when an automatic telephone exchange will be installed.
(Dublin South-Central): I am aware that more trunk circuits need to be provided to improve the trunk service in the Macroom area. A co-axial cable which will provide the necessary relief is on order and is expected to be in service in the second half of next year.
It is expected that Macroom exchange will be converted to automatic working in the second half of 1981.