asked the Minister for Health if operations for tubal ligation are carried out in this country, if such operations are legal, if he will outline his views on the propriety of such operations and if there is an analogy between this operation and that of male sterilisation which is allowable in this country.
Written Answers. - Female Sterilisation.
372.
I understand that operations which may result in sterilisation of either males or females are carried out in this country. My advice is that such an operation is legal where it is performed in the interests of the health of the patient.
373.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the plans, if any, for the extension of automatic telephone facilities to west and north Clare, the approximate date for the conversion of the larger exchanges and when it is expected that the entire county will have an automatic service.
Current programmes provide for conversion to automatic working of all the larger manual telephone exchanges in County Clare. It is hoped to effect conversion of Kilrush, Kilkee, Ennistymon, Lahinch, Lisdoonvarna, Miltown-Malbay and Feakle around the end of 1981.
Conversion of the remaining exchanges will follow progressively, and it is expected that the entire county will have automatic service by the end of 1983.
374.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the steps he has taken to expand the inspectorate staff of his Department dealing with reclamation and housing grants since he undertook to review this matter.
The total number of field officers newly assigned to the Farm Development Service during the past year was 78. There were a number of retirements in that period and a further number of officers due to retire were retained beyond the normal retiring age until the staff position improves. The net increase in staff numbers was 63 making a total of 457.
The names of candidates who were successful at the recent Civil Service Commission competition for appointment as agricultural officer are now coming to hand. While such staff are also required in other work areas, notably livestock disease eradication, it should be possible to expand the farm development service still further in the weeks and months ahead.
375.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will give the following breakdown of the 12,000 applicants awaiting land reclamation and drainage grants: the number who applied (a) prior to January 1, 1977; (b) prior to January 1, 1978 and (c) prior to January 1, 1979.
I presume the Deputy is referring to applications for land improvement grants in the Connacht Ulster constituency.
The figures requested are: (a) Applications received prior to January 1, 1977—3; (b) Applications received prior to January 1, 1978—56; (c) Applications received prior to January 1, 1979—901.
The outstanding balance of 10,000 was received after 1 January 1979. All these applications are now being processed under the Western Drainage Scheme.