asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if it is intended to exempt telephone subscribers who have not got automatic service from further telephone increases charges; and if any rental or other allowances are to be made to subscribers who do not have a 24-hour telephone service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
18.
The rentals of the first exchange line of subscribers who have not got automatic service, including those who have not got 24-hour service, are being exempted from the increases which will come into operation on 1 July. Other rental allowances or exemptions are not proposed at this stage. I cannot of course give any commitment in regard to future allowances or changes in charges.
Does the Minister agree that in the case of private subscribers, but more serious business and professional subscribers who are not on the automatic service, the time lost in making a telephone call, first, of trying to contact the local exchange which in turn has to connect other exchanges, is an abnormal hidden cost? In cases where automatic telephones are not available will the Minister agree that private and business subscribers should not have to pay the same rental for their telephone service?
I have told the Deputy that the rentals of the first exchange line of subscribers who have not got automatic service are being exempted from the increases.
19.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will waive telephone rental charges in respect of subscribers over 75 years of age, in view of the inability of many of them to meet these charges despite the value of a telephone to them.
The subsidising of rental charges for any particular category of subscribers on social grounds would be a matter for the Minister for Social Welfare and not for my Department.
Will the Minister make representations to the Minister for Social Welfare with a view to meeting the kind of problem outlined in the question? Does the Minister agree that the argument in the question is a reasonable one that should be considered by the Minister for Social Welfare?
The scheme was introduced on 1 April 1978 for old age pensioners living alone. The Department's obligation is to provide a telephone service for the public and to waive rentals for any group on the lines set out in the question would involve subsidisation by other subscribers. I suggest to the Deputy that he would put the question down to the Minister for Social Welfare, who is the person responsible.
Is the Minister saying that the scheme under which telephones free of rentals are being provided for persons living alone is funded to the Department of Social Welfare and not by his Department?
By the Department of Social Welfare.
20.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (a) why no reduced charge rate exists for STD calls to European mainland countries made at week-ends, Sundays or generally at times of lesser telephone traffic; (b) if he is aware of any other EEC country in which no reduced charge rates of this sort operates; and (c) whether it is consistent with this State's obligations under EEC membership or otherwise imposed by treaty or agreement, that in this respect there should be a lack of mutuality.
The information sought is as follows:
(a) The general position is that reduced telephone rates of the kind mentioned are not offered by European mainland countries either to one another or to this country and Britain. Introduction of such rates here, particularly on a non-reciprocal basis, would be likely to result in loss of revenue as the other countries concerned would claim their full credits in respect of reduced calls made from here.
(b) Reduced rates are offered by the British Post Office on calls to other EEC countries but in the reverse direction, reduced rates to Britain do not apply, except from this country.
(c) There is no obligation under EEC membership or under any other international treaty or agreement to have reduced rates at off-peak periods for telephone traffic with other countries.
Would the Minister be interested to know that the information he has given, at least in respect of the German Federal Republic, is absolutely wrong, that whichever official or officials put that information into his hand does not know what he is talking about? The Minister has given the House a piece of absolute misinformation——
The Deputy is now giving information instead of asking a question.
Would the Minister be interested to know that in the GFR, which is the European mainland country from which most telephone traffic to this country comes and to which most of the telephone traffic goes, it is possible on Sunday to telephone this country at about one-third of the ordinary week day rate? I will not harangue the Minister about this — he can go and look it up.
My file does not give me that information.
The Minister's file is wrong. Would the Minister get whichever official gave him that information to get the proper information? The German Post Office permits telephone calls at the same reduced rate to all other countries throughout the world inside and outside the EEC.
Deputy Kelly is now giving information.
The Deputy should talk to his colleagues who are members of the European Parliament and ask them why a petition has been submitted by a private individual in Germany to the European Parliament to provide reduced telephone charges and calls?
The Minister is reading a question which has been put in a different context. I hope he will accept that the information I have given about STD——
Will the Deputy ask a question?
Our international service is as good if not better than most. I do not accept the Deputy's allegations. During the Papal visit it was a credit to the Department.
We will be blessing ourselves about the Papal visit for the next 50 years. Fianna Fáil will be fighting the next election on it——
An Leas-Cheann Comharile
The Chair has been calling the next question.
Big deal. The rest of us have to live here for 365 days every year and try to get on with a mediocre service. We are not just a caravan full of journalists.
We will not have a barging match between the Minister and the Deputy. If the Deputy has a question, will he ask it?
Will the Minister accept that a system of reduced charges at weekends or off periods would tend to reduce congestion throughout the working week, would free the circuits for people who want to make their calls during the week and would reduce everybody's frustration about STD calling?
If I were to accept what Deputy Kelly has been saying I will tell him where it would get us. It is estimated that the introduction of what he suggests would lead to a loss of revenue of between £125,000 and £130,000 a year which would have to be borne by other users or the taxpayer.
I am calling Question No. 21. I called it nearly a quarter of an hour ago.
I want the Deputy to hear me finish. The introduction of such rates in EEC member countries generally is being considered and if agreement is reached we would consider favourably the introduction of reduced rates here, but it will only be done if every other country in the EEC does so. As far as I am aware and as far as I am told — I am not a foreign traveller — there is not a country in Europe providing this facility with the exception of Great Britain.
Will the Minister agree that the most frequent complaint from foreign industrialists here is about the telephone service, a complaint which they expressed in the presence of President Hillery when he was in Germany in 1977. There is a disastrous system of telephone contacts——
I am calling Question No. 21.
A sum of £130,000 would be cheap for that.
I called Question No. 21 about five minutes ago.
I am talking about 1980. We have an international service which is unparalleled and unequalled in many EEC countries.
It is a world joke.
Sit down and have manners. If the Deputy asks a question he should have the common courtesy to listen to a reply.
(Interruptions.)
The Chair might as well go home if both Deputies intend to continue like this for the rest of the evening. I called Question No. 21 five minutes ago.
21.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether there has been any change in the notification to applicants in Counties Laois and Offaly of the provision of telephone service for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There has been no change.
Has any instruction, verbal or otherwise, been issued by the Department that in the event of new telephones being installed in the Portarlington and Tullamore areas a Fianna Fáil Deputy is to be notified whether he made representations or not? Can the Minister tell the House whether he or the Minister issued this most improper and unusual instruction?
No instruction was issued by me. Any Deputy has the right to ask any section of the Department to give information, but I can assure the Deputy that no secret information will be given from my Department unless the Deputy or public representative is making representations on behalf of his constituents.
If the Minister of State says he did not issue that instruction, I accept it, but can he guarantee that the Minister did not issue such an instruction?
I can, of course. Since I took over in this Department — and it is sometimes a trying Department with very onerous work attaching to it — I can assure Deputies that no such information was or will be given by my Department except when public representatives make representations on behalf of their constituents. As I stated on a number of occasions, we have changed the system so that nobody can be blamed at any stage and that individuals making applications for telephones——
We cannot stay on this question all evening. A final supplementary.
Since the Minister assures me he gave no such instruction and that no instruction was given by the Minister, will he make inquiries about who issued the instruction?
No such instruction was given.
Yes, the instruction was given.
I know what Deputy Flanagan is talking about——
Of course the Minister knows what I am talking about but——
——but he should get his facts right. Any public representative can write directly to any official in my Department——
I am not referring to that.
——and ask for specific information, but that does not mean he will get it.
I am afraid the Minister has not taken the point——
I know exactly what the Deputy is talking about.
I know that but——
The Chair calls Question No. 22.
——is it not a fact that in the event of new telephones being installed at Portarlington and Tullamore a Fianna Fáil Deputy who did not make representations——
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Deasy is correct when he says the Chair is becoming more irrelevant as we go on. I am calling the next question.