With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
I am aware of the position at Clonmel. There are some 120 waiting applications in the area. About 20 of these will be attended to within the next few months and it is expected that the balance will be attended to about the middle of next year when extra equipment to meet these and any further applications will have been provided. New priority applications will also be met in the meantime.
An interim extension of the exchange building is at present in progress. Further building work at present in the planning stage in the Office of Public Works will cater for future expansion.
The quality of service in the exchange has not been as satisfactory as it should be because of difficulties affecting the service generally to which I referred in reply to previous questions. The causes of these difficulties do not lie in Clonmel exchange itself.