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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Nov 1980

Vol. 324 No. 7

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Service.

25.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will outline the advice to be given to telephone subscribers who are unable to contact the number 190 during business hours.

I regret to say that in the Dublin area difficulties can be experienced on occasions by subscribers in contacting the "190" Directory Inquiry Service during peak business hours. It is planned to bring a new computer-based directory inquiry system into service in the first half of next year. This system will substantially increase the capacity for handling inquiries and will provide a high quality service for subscribers. In the meantime, it would help if subscribers could make as many as possible of their calls to the directory inquiry service outside the busiest hours.

Is the Minister in a position to give us any indication of the extent of the difficulties which he has admitted? Has he carried out any survey into the availability of "190" during business hours?

Surveys have been carried out. I have admitted that there are difficulties. The solution we propose is to computerise the directory inquiry service which will totally eliminate the present problems. That will be done as soon as possible.

How will the computerisation of the directory inquiry service eliminate the difficulty that I and other subscribers have of getting anything except an engaged tone from "190" during business hours five days a week?

When it is computerised there will be more lines into it. It will give a much better service in that there will be a faster response. Part of the problem in relation to "190" is, like other services, because the system is not capable of handling the amount of traffic during business hours.

What kind of a success rate is there for people dialling "190" during business hours?

I do not have that information available but if the Deputy puts down a separate question I will get it for him.

Is it 30 per cent or less?

I would not hazard a guess; I will get the proper information.

The Minister should have that information because the Deputy asked him about it.

Questions Nos. 26, 27, 28 and 29 are postponed.

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