asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider having a telephone kiosk at Brandon village, County Kerry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Kiosks.
52.
The call office telephone in Brandon post office is little used and the provision of a street kiosk there is not contemplated at present.
I would like to impress upon the Minister that this village is a very isolated one and there are very, very few private telephones in the area. It is very difficult for the local people to make telephone calls after six o'clock in the evening to contact a doctor or a veterinary surgeon. Would the Minister in the near future have a telephone kiosk erected there?
The call office telephone in Brandon sub-office is available during normal office hours and available at all times in emergencies. It is used to a very slight extent. For the Deputy's information, about two calls per day are made on average. Because it is in a tourist area we will probably have another look at the matter at the end of the tourist season.
How does the Minister distinguish between tourist and non-tourist areas where the provision of telephone kiosks is concerned?
There is no problem. If the Deputy moves around the country he will see which is a tourist area and which is not.
Is Meath a tourist area?
Not in comparison with the area to which Deputy McEllistrim referred.
The Minister does not know what he is talking about.
I can assure the Deputy I know far more about it than the Deputy does.
53.
andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when he expects to be in a position to provide a telephone kiosk at Timahoe, County Kildare.
Provision of kiosks in areas such as Timahoe where there is no post office is not envisaged under the extended kiosk programme for rural areas.
54.
andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will indicate where in County Kildare telephone kiosks will be provided under the extended programme for rural areas during the years 1971-72 and 1972-73.
55.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will indicate where in County Meath telephone kiosks will be provided under the extended programme for rural areas during 1971-72 and 1972-73.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 54 and 55 together.
The kiosk programme for the year 1971-72 has not yet been finally settled but present indications are that it will include kiosks at Ballinabrackey and Carlanstown, County Meath and Broadford, County Kildare.
I regret that it is not possible to say at this stage what kiosks will be included in the programme for the year 1972-73.
Carlanstown is, of course, now in County Cavan—I mean politically.