asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that a site has been offered at Killeen, Nenagh, County Tipperary for a public telephone to replace the telephone in the Killeen post office which was closed on 25th November; and if in view of the need for one, particularly for use in emergencies in this area, he will arrange for a public telephone to be provided at the site offered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary Public Telephone.
3.
The answer to the first part of the question is "yes". In the light of the very limited use made of the Post Office installation in the past 12 months, however, it is clear that the provision of a public telephone is not warranted.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary not now consider coming to the rescue of these people who have a long distance to travel for a doctor or a priest by giving them a telephone? Will he not provide that telephone in the accommodation offered for it by a private person?
From the knowledge I have of this area, there is a telephone in the priest's house and it is hard to imagine anyone going there to ring for a priest. There is a telephone in the creamery which would be made available in an emergency. The use made of the telephone in this district earlier—an average of two calls per day—would not justify its re-installation.
I understand the Parliamentary Secretary knows Killeen very well. In that case, he understands that the creamery closes at 4 p.m. Does he think that an emergency can wait overnight until the creamery reopens in the morning? There is not a doctor residing in the area and surely one is not going to wake up a priest at 2 o'clock in the morning and ask him to telephone for a doctor from Nenagh?
The potential user there would not justify its installation.