(Dublin Central) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the applications for telephone service that are regarded by his Department as of high priority.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.
12.
Applications under the following categories are regarded as high priority:
"Life and Death" services, that is fire, ambulance, hospital, police and Army services, clergymen engaged in parochial duties.
Other services and organisations— including their key personnel— engaged in work essential or important to the public generally. These include members of the Oireachtas and diplomats, central and local authorities, national unions and associations.
Businesses involving a fair employment content.
Other applications in respect of which really exceptional and urgent need can be shown.
(Dublin Central): Would the Minister agree that persons engaged in charitable organisations, and who are known to be engaged in voluntary organisations throughout the country, should qualify also for the priority list?
As the Deputy will appreciate, we are dealing in his question not just with priority but with high priority which, as he will appreciate, is a somewhat different matter. I do not think I could give an undertaking to treat all members of all voluntary organisations as necessarily either of high priority or priority. But, in certain cases, they might come under the heading I mentioned—"Other applications in respect of which really exceptional and urgent need can be shown". It would need to be established in relation to an individual case rather than a general ruling affecting voluntary bodies. I suppose more than half the population are involved in some way in some voluntary body of some description.
(Dublin Central): I had a question to the Minister last week regarding an applicant engaged in Alcoholics Anonymous in a rural area. My information is that his services could be required at any time of the night. Would the Minister consider such a case as high priority?
I think I answered that question of the Deputy when he put it down.
Is the Minister aware that there are frequent occurrences around the city where industries which have been located in central city areas are transferring out to suburban areas, very often as a result of local government policy? Could the Minister ensure that, where such industries provide a reasonable level of employment—particularly where they are engaged in the export industry— a high degree of priority would be awarded the transfer of telephones in their cases?
Certainly such cases normally would be entitled to a high priority in that businesses involving a fair employment content are entitled to it.
What level?
It depends a little, varying on factors like the export content and so on but it is very liberally interpreted. Four people are normally enough. Very small businesses indeed are treated in that way. I appreciate the problem with which the Deputy is concerned and I would be anxious that my Department arrange for transfers in such cases.
Would the Minister indicate what is regarded as the normal delay from the time of application to the time of installation in respect of the provision of a telephone for a doctor?
That would depend to a considerable extent on local circumstances. As Deputies generally are aware, and I am certainly aware, pressures in different regions and districts vary to a very great extent. Therefore, I would hesitate to make a generalisation. If the Deputy is concerned with a particular district, area or applicant, I will try to give him that information. I would rather not try to generalise about it.
Could we not have an average figure?
I do not think an average figure would be helpful in a particular case.
Might I indicate to the Minister that I understand from the residents of Finglas South that a local doctor applied for a telephone in January last and that, as yet, it has not been provided? Would the Minister regard that as an excessive delay?
I could not say whether or not it would be excessive in the particular case. For example, when people move, as they do, into, say, a new housing estate where the cables are not yet laid, then such delays do occur. Naturally we are anxious to expedite that but it is a matter of laying cable rather than giving an answer.
(Dublin Central): May I take it now that certain categories of people engaged in voluntary charitable work could be considered for a priority list?
As I indicated to the Deputy, it would be rather a matter of considering the circumstances of the individual and the role discharged by him in relation to the needs of the community in which he lived.