Vol. 302 No. 5
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why it is considered necessary to require Meath County Council to guarantee any loss in telephone kiosks at Dunderry, Kilcarne, Kentstown, Rathcairn, Ballinlough and Killallan before their erection; and whether his Department considers that they are required at those locations.
8.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will provide telephone kiosks at Dunderry, Kilcarne, Kentstown, Rathcairn, Ballinlough and Killallan, County Meath.
(Dublin South-Central): With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
Under existing policy which has been in operation for many years kiosks are not provided at places such as Dunderry, Kilcarne, Kentstown, Rathcairn or Killallan where there are no post offices or at places such as Ballinlough where the call office telephone in the post office is little used. Meath County Council requested provision of kiosks in these areas. They were informed that, if the council were prepared to guarantee the kiosks against any loss involved in their provision and maintenance, the Department would provide them.
With regard to Ballinlough, which is eligible under the existing scheme, when is it likely a kiosk will be provided there at the present rate of progress?
(Dublin South-Central): The business transacted in Ballinlough post office at the moment is very small and would not warrant a public kiosk on the standards which obtain at present in the Department. Very little business is transacted in that sub-post office.
(Cavan-Monaghan): In view of the fact that the Minister requires guarantees from the local authorities in respect of these kiosks, will the Parliamentary Secretary persuade the Minister for the Environment to ensure sufficient grants are given to enable local authorities to give these guarantees?
That is a separate question.
(Cavan-Monaghan): It is not. It is very relevant.
The two questions here are purely local and the Deputy is now extending the ambit of the questions. If I were to permit this we could be here on these two questions until the end of Question Time. Question No. 9.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Local authorities will not be able to give these guarantees unless the Minister for the Environment gives them sufficient grants to enable them to do so, so the buck is back with the Minister for the Environment.
I have called the next question, Question No. 9.
9.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of telephone kiosks his Department intends to erect in County Cork within the next 12 months; and the location of each one.
(Dublin South-Central): It is planned at present to provide 14 kiosks at the following locations in County Cork:— Ardgroom, Belvelly, Carrigaline, Cork city (six kiosks), Garnish, Haulbowline, Macroom, Urhan and Vicarstown.
10.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when it is expected that the proposed new telephone exchange for Eglinton Street, Galway will be operational.
11.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when it is expected that the planned new telephone exchange for the Mervue area of Galway will be operational.
(Dublin South-Central): With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
A first instalment of a major extension of the existing automatic exchange in Eglinton Street was brought into service earlier this year. Work on the balance is expected to be completed in about five months. A second automatic exchange for Galway, at Shantalla, was completed this month.
The Commissioners of Public Works forecast that the building to house the new exchange in Mervue will be ready in 1980 and it is expected that the exchange will be in service in 1982.
12.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of applications for telephones in each of the past five years; the number of new connections in each of those years; the total money at present held on deposit in respect of these applications; and when it is expected that the present waiting list will be cleared.
(Dublin South-Central): There were about 41,000 applications for telephones in 1973, 39,000 in 1974, 37,000 in 1975, 36,000 in 1976 and 31,000 to end September, 1977.
I regret that information regarding the total money at present held on deposit is not available. However, my Department's records show that on 21st October, 1977, approximately £840,000 was held in respect of money paid in advance by applicants covering connection charges, advance rentals and deposits, but this figure includes amounts paid by applicants who have been provided with service during the previous few months and for whom accounting records have not yet been set up.
It is expected that half of the present waiting list will be cleared within the next 12 months and the remainder progressively over the following two years.
