asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has received complaints regarding the difficulties of contacting Government Departments by telephone, the proposals he has to improve the service and if he will make a statement on the matter.
259.
Written Answers. - Phone Service.
258.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has received complaints regarding the deterioration of the telephone service to Government Departments, the reasons for this deterioration and the means available to him to restore the service to a reasonable standard.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together.
I have received a small number of complaints recently but I am not aware of any general deterioration in the service to Government Departments. The standard of telephone service provided at Government Departments is kept under review in consultation with the Departments concerned and remedial action is taken where necessary. In order to improve the standard of service provided, existing manual exchanges are, in general, being replaced by private automatic branch exchanges according as the need for replacement arises and have been so replaced already in a number of Departments and Offices, while others are in place of replacement.
260.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his attention has been drawn to the chaotic phone situation at Ballinasloe, County Galway and the steps, if any, being taken to improve the service and provide a service for existing applicants.
I am aware that the standard of service at Ballinasloe is less than satisfactory owing to congestion in the exchange there. A new exchange is in course of being provided; the exchange building, erection of which has suffered serious delay, is nearing completion. The exchange equipment is expected to be in service in the first half of 1981.
In the meantime a mobile exchange is being provided and is expected to be brought into service within the next four months. While this will enable service to be given to a limited number of waiting applicants, it will not, I regret, be practicable until the new permanent exchange is in service to remedy the difficulties arising from overloading of the existing exchange.
261.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the telephone exchange at Ardfinnan Post Office, Clonmel, County Tipperary will be changed to the automatic system.
Late in 1981 or early in 1982.
262.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason for the delay in transferring telephone service for a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
Service at the new address involves extensive linework and it was not possible to provide it due, in part, to the volume of other work in the area and, in part, to the need to get public wayleave consent for the erection of part of the route. It is expected that service will be provided in about four months or so.
263.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange for the provision of a telephone service for an applicant (details supplied) in County Cork and if priority will be given in this case on health grounds.
Arrangements are already in train to provide service within the next month or so.
264.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange to have a night telephone service provided for the Kiltullagh area, Athenry, County Galway.
The provision of continuous telephone attendance at Kiltulla exchange is under consideration at present. There are some difficulties for the local postmaster in providing this service and it is not possible at present to say when it will be introduced.
265.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange to have a letterbox erected at Tallyhoe Cross, Kiltullagh, Athenry, County Galway.
The position remains as stated in the reply given on 21 February last to a similar question from the Deputy.
266.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will arrange to have a public telephone kiosk erected at Kiltullagh, Athenry, County Galway.
Yes. It will be provided as soon as possible after the necessary consents to a suitable site have been obtained.