asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the number of applicants for telephones on hands from residents in County Kildare, and if he will indicate approximately when service is likely to be provided in the outstanding cases.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephones for County Kildare.
There are 100 applications for telephones on hand from residents in County Kildare. Most of them will be dealt with in the course of the next 12 months.
In view of the Department being so much in arrears with the installation of telephones, would it not be possible to second engineers from the Army to the Department of Posts and Telegraphs as temporary officers and thereby expedite the installation of telephones?
We are catching up on the arrears.
You could get on much more quickly if you did that.
We have installed a record number of telephones in any period of time last year—7,234. The other matter raised is a separate question.
Does the Minister not agree that the highly trained personnel of the signal corps of the Army would be of immense value if they were so seconded?
Members of the Army who receive signal corps training are given every opportunity to join the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. We have a number of such men who were trained during the emergency.
I do not think the Minister and I are ad idemat all. What I am asking is whether the Minister agrees that, if it were possible for his colleague, the Minister for Defence, to second to him men at present on full time service with the Army, they could give immense help to the Department in clearing up these arrears.
It would be practical experience for them.
I will consider it.