asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the likely date for the conversion of Oldcastle telephone exchange, County Meath to automatic working; and if he adheres to the target of 1982 given in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 271 of 19 February, 1981.
Written Answers. - Telephone Service.
477.
It was the intention to provide automatic service at Oldcastle towards the end of this year. Regrettably this is not now possible as the building to house the equipment was not completed as expected in March 1982.
The building is now available and automatic service should be provided early in 1983.
478.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if the new telephone exchange in Dunshaughlin, County Meath is now fully operational.
The new exchange planned for Dunshaughlin will not be in service until about the end of next year. However, spare capacity at the existing exchange is expected to be adequate to meet requirements until the new exchange is ready for service.
479.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (a) if he is aware of the bad telephone service in the Granard area of County Longford, (b) the action the Government intend to take to rectify the position and (c) when the Granard district will go automatic.
There are difficulties with the telephone service at Granard as in other centres, from time to time, especially during the busy periods of the day. One of the aims of the Government's five-year telecommunications development programme is to provide automatic service throughout the country. In the case of Granard, plans to this end are well advanced and it is hoped to provide automatic service there within the next 12 months.
480.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (a) the number of people on the waiting list for telephones in County Westmeath; and (b) the number on the list for over (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five years.
The figures are: (a) 922; (b) 642; (c) 403; (d) 226; (f) 101; (g) 23.
481.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (a) the number of people on the waiting list for telephones in County Longford; and (b) the number on the list for over (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five years.
The figures are: (a) 612; (b) 420; (c) 238; (d) 119; (f) 50; (g) 9.
482.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that the national school at North William Street, Dublin is a six storey building catering for nearly 400 pupils and that it is without a telephone; and if he will ensure that this school has a telephone installed immediately in view of the very serious situation which the lack of service presents.
The school already has one line. It is expected that a second line applied for recently will be provided within about a year.