asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why the telephone numbers of certain subscribers in Dublin were altered before he had made adequate arrangements to make other subscribers aware of such alteration.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Telephone Numbers.
53.
The arrangements made were similar to those which had proved entirely satisfactory in previous years. However, during the first two days while the new Directory was being distributed there was some congestion at times in the Directory Enquiries service resulting, unfortunately, in unavoidable delays. The case was one of more enquiries being received than could reasonably have been foreseen on the basis of previous experience.
Would the Minister not say why the Telephone Directories were not handed out in time? That would have saved trouble.
The Directories were distributed on Monday morning, 28th September, and if they had been distributed earlier there would have been more confusion. We would have had people ringing up the new numbers in the new Directory and more difficulties would have been created than actually did occur.
From what the Minister says I gather that delivery started on 28th September?
Yes.
Can the Minister say then why delivery has not yet been completed?
It has been completed in the Dublin area.
It has not been completed in the country. Many Dublin numbers have been changed and people throughout the country have to go to the trouble of finding out the new numbers.
The Deputy did not ask anything about the completion of delivery in his question and I have not got the information.
Will the Minister look at my question: "To ask the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why the telephone numbers of certain subscribers in Dublin were altered before he had made adequate arrangements to make other subscribers aware of such alterations?" I did not refer to other subscribers in Dublin alone. I said throughout the whole of the country.
The Minister said that Telephone Directories had to be supplied on 28th September.
I said "commenced."
Then will we get ours before Christmas? Many subscribers have not yet got them.
Many other subscribers have got them already.