I mentioned last night that the service provided by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs affects the life of each one of us. In no way is that fact more noticeable than by the activities of the postman. I join with other Deputies in urging reconsideration of the position of auxiliary postmen, some of whom have given as long perhaps as 50 years' service in that capacity. Some system of superannuation should be devised for that grade particularly as it has now been found possible to provide for a contributory pension in our social welfare code. I cannot see why there should be any insurmountable difficulty in devising a superannuation scheme for auxiliary postmen.
I should like to add my voice to the tribute paid to the efficiency of our postal services and not alone to the efficiency but also to the courtesy accorded to the public. A very large volume of business is transacted. That is particularly so at the Christmas period when one is amazed at the efficiency and expedition with which the postal authorities handle such a large volume of traffic. The reorganisation which is taking place and which has been carried out in the larger areas has helped very much in that respect. There are people in areas in my constituency who are very pleased with the improvement in the delivery service, apart from the general improvement.
There has been a falling-off in the number of telegrams. The reason is understandable, to some extent. The experience of people living in rural areas is that telegrams do not arrive as quickly as they might because, in the ordinary way, there is no provision for a delivery service. Telegrams are not considered by people living in rural areas to be the speedy type of message which people some decades ago considered them to be.
Recently I had occasion to send a telegram—rather a novelty if you like —to a small village in my constituency. The post office there has a telephone but, as I discovered later, it has not a telegraph service and therefore my telegram was delivered to the next post office, approximately three miles away. I was able to get in touch more rapidly by telephone, and did so later, with the person concerned and at that point he had not received the telegram. There is no blame to be attached to anybody for that. Where there is a telephone in a post office, those in charge of the telegraph service ought to consider making use of it.
I was interested to hear the Minister's references to the extension of the automatic system. There is to be an extension in Croom. I am curious to know the basis of selection of areas for automatic exchanges, how the priority is decided, whether it is on the basis of the volume of business, and so on. I should also like to know when we may expect the automatic service to be extended to the other exchanges.
I am interested to learn that the microwave radio link is to be used and that its extension from Limerick to Tralee will fit in with the service to West Limerick. Perhaps the Minister would indicate the centres which will benefit from this extension in the coming year.
I mentioned last year, and Deputy Blowick referred to the point yesterday, the need for telephone kiosks in rural areas. I was in communication with the Department in regard to the Ballyhahill and Athea areas in this matter as they both serve large rural areas. I have been informed that the volume of traffic would not warrant the erection of the kiosks there. Very fortunately, and very co-operatively indeed, the post offices assist the locals in any emergency. It is not reasonable to expect that people can be knocked up at night when some emergency arises. Nowadays livestock are very valuable and the veterinary service is much appreciated. A farmer likes to be able to call on the veterinary surgeon if an animal becomes ill. A telephone kiosk in a village might save a farmer a journey of may be three or four miles to a place where there is a kiosk.
It is unreasonable to expect that the telephone in the local post office should be available at all hours every day of the week. When the post office is closed on the half-day and at other times a person in a rural area may not readily get the use of a telephone. Therefore, even at the risk of some loss, a telephone kiosk should be provided to carry whatever private telephone traffic must now be carried by the post office. Very often nowadays, in small rural areas where business is growing and the telephone is in such favour, existing exchanges find there is delay because of lack of lines to central exchanges. This is being remedied and I am sure there is a relation between the number of lines and the number of subscribers, but sometimes subscribers may not understand the difficulties. If a spare line could be provided between the local exchange and the central exchanges, it would help appreciably to speed up business.
I know there is a big demand for installation of telephones and the Department are doing their best but any speeding-up in that regard would be much appreciated, especially in rural areas where the telephone has come to be accepted as the speediest means of communication.
In his speech, the Minister referred to commemorative stamps. Generally, the stamps are very beautiful and have maintained a very high standard. I think we should anticipate these events and it would help greatly in publicising an event if the commemorative stamp were available before or at the commencement of the particular period. In this Patrician year, we expect a large number of people to turn towards Ireland and we hope the issue of the Patrician stamp will not be long delayed so that it will serve to remind people abroad, getting correspondence from this country, that the Patrician year is being observed here.
The Post Office savings service is most efficient. The amount invested is a great tribute to its stability. It is creditable to the people and to the nation that despite the fact that we sometimes deplore our seeming poverty, there is a sum of approximately £100 million, representing the savings of our people, either in the Post Office Savings Bank or the Trustee Savings Bank. Both the depositors and the Post Office are to be congratulated, the latter on being able to provide such stability as to inspire the confidence of investors.
There is one matter which I think the Minister and his advisers might consider, whether it is possible, in view of the large amount invested, to give a somewhat higher rate of interest. It can be said that the people's savings must be available within three or five days but I do not think there will be any practical difficulty in providing for the normal amount of withdrawals and, at the same time, enhancing the rate of interest.
On the subject of radio programmes, I shall be very brief. I should like the Minister, at all stages, to be answerable to the House for these programmes. I do not think it is wise to shed authority in regard to semi-state bodies and it should be possible to have control exercised by the House. Certainly any semi-State body should be accountable to the House for funds placed at its disposal by way of grants-in-aid.
In regard to programmes generally, starting with the evening programme for children, these are very interesting in that they present dramatised historical events for children in a way that conveys an appreciation of such events. Adult programmes are varied —too much so, at times. If you are interested, 15 minutes goes too quickly, especially where good music or sporting events are concerned. To cut off a sporting event at the end of the allotted time because another programme is due to begin often causes annoyance to the listeners.
I doubt if we make sufficient use of our bands. We used have the Garda band and the Army bands which are rarely heard now. The musical programmes given by the No. 1 or No. 2 Southern Command Army band were excellent and it is a pity that we should lose the opportunity of letting people appreciate the better type of music. Quite an amount of the modern type of music comes into the country through our own programmes, certainly through sponsored programmes and from outside stations.
I disagree completely with the view expressed last night that the traditional music of this country is not worth having. Any nation claiming that title retains its traditional culture as we may see in Europe at present, in Spain, Italy, Holland, Poland and Scandinavia. The native music and dances of these countries are preserved. We would be very unworthy of our own traditions if we did not give due prominence to native culture, including music, without overdoing it. If anybody feels aggrieved in that respect, there is the simple remedy of turning off the radio. What has been done for native culture and its preservation is most praiseworthy and such programmes as seanachaí, traditional plays and songs are well worth keeping and recording. When you have it rendered by choirs of the type of Cór Cois Laoi, I think Irish music is at its best in depth and feeling. I think that we could, with advantage, hear more of it.
In the final portion of his speech, the Minister referred to the surplus and deficit accounts over the five year period. It is very heartening and praiseworthy to find that what was a deficit of approximately £368,000 in 1955-56 has become a surplus of £389,000 in 1959-60, which represents a changeover of approximately three-quarters of a million pounds. If we are to read anything into that, it means that the business-like methods now in use in the Post Office have succeeded. Since there now seems to be a growing surplus, I wonder would the Minister consider whether the time has come for either improving the service or lessening costs to the benefit of the people who are participants in this national business of the Post Office. In conclusion, I should like to pay tribute to the Minister for his courtesy at all times and for the manner in which he has attended to matters brought to his attention.
