asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if in view of the erection of some 800 National Building Agency houses and 400 private houses at Mayfield and Ballyvolane, Cork, he will take steps to have a public telephone kiosk erected at the Ballyvolane Road end of the National Building Agency houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Kiosks.
110.
It is proposed to provide a kiosk in the Ballyvolane area, Cork, under the kiosk programme for the current financial year. The Deputy's suggestion will be borne in mind when a site is being selected.
111.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will make arrangements either to have a public telephone kiosk erected at Ring Commons, County Dublin, or get the telephone taken out of the post office there and placed outside where it would be accessible to the people of the area at all times.
The extended kiosk programme for rural areas provides for replacement of call office telephones in local post offices by street kiosks in areas where the call office telephone is used to a fair extent. Ring Commons is not likely to be included in the programme as the call office telephone is little used.
Is the Minister aware that the telephone in this call office is inaccessible because the office closes early and does not open during the weekend? The nearest telephone is a long distance from Ring Commons.
I cannot agree with what the Deputy has said because according to my information the call office is available until 11 p.m. and at all times in an emergency.
I am glad that is included in the record because that is not the information I have.
112.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider providing a public telephone in the village of Glasson, County West-meath.
The extended kiosk programme for rural areas provides for replacement of call office telephones in local post offices by street kiosks in areas where the call office telephone is used to a fair extent. Glasson is not likely to be included in the programme as the call office telephone is little used.
Is the Minister aware that the call office is not used because it is situated some distance from the village it purports to serve? If the Minister inquired he would find out that the two private telephones in the village are used much more regularly than the post office telephone.
To set the record straight I understand the village of Glasson has two licensed premises and there are about 30 houses in the area. I understand the call office telephone at Glasson is available up to 10 p.m. and again at all times in an emergency.
That may be the Minister's information but I am telling him the reason it is not used is that it is situated in an inaccessible position and the calls made from that village are made from private telephones.
I cannot agree with the Deputy. Another possible explanation is that there are 17 subscribers within one and a half mile radius of Glasson, including two coin boxes in the village.
Is the Minister suggesting that privately owned coin boxes be made available to the public?
That is a separate question.