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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1982

Vol. 336 No. 5

Written Answers. - Telephone Service.

589.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will ensure that all telephone subscribers are given advance notice of any action to be taken by his Department to cut off service and that when such action is being taken subscribers are so notified; and if he will further ensure that no action is taken to discontinue a telephone service if the arrears due on the telephone account are less than £100.

Advance notice of withdrawal of service is, in fact, given to all subscribers. The final notices issued to subscribers who have not paid their accounts within the stipulated time provide that failing receipt of payment within a further seven days, service will have to be withdrawn. In addition, subscribers outside the "01" area from whom service is withdrawn are individually notified when this is being done, and in the "01" area only outgoing service is barred initially.

It is clearly important that all accounts should be paid promptly and the non-withdrawal of service where accounts are overdue could not be supported.

590.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the expense incurred in cutting off a telephone service to a subscriber on each occasion on which such action is taken.

591.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the expenditure incurred by the State in reconnecting a telephone service to a subscriber after such service has been cut off due to the non-payment of bills.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 591 together.

The cost is about £2.50 in each case.

592.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs how many telephone subscribers had service discontinued in 1981 due to the non-payment of bills; how many such subscribers had the service reinstated in 1981 upon the payment of any arrears due in respect of telephone bills; and the cost to the State in 1981 of (a) discontinuing service in such circumstances and (b) reinstating or reconnecting service after the payment of the arrears.

The telephone accounts section are being relocated at present and as a result the relevant records to enable this information to be provided are not available immediately. If the Deputy will repeat the question in a week's time the information will be supplied then.

593.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs how many personnel are employed in the telephone service; and if he will describe the general duties of such personnel.

There are about 17,600 personnel employed in the telephone service.

The general duties of the personnel concerned are as follows: (a) The planning, design, installation and maintenance of the telephone network, including subscribers' apparatus. (b) The provision of telephone operators services. (c) Telephone sales and services work, including the issue of accounts to customers and collection of revenue. (d) The purchase of engineering equipment, stores and transport for the telephone service.

594.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs how many unions represent employees in his Department; and the various areas of work or Departmental functions in which each individual union represents such employees.

As the answer is in tabular form, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report. Following is the statement:

The total number of unions/staff associations is 24 and the broad areas of work in which grades represented by each union are employed are as follows:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Union/Staff Association

Postal Services

Telecommuni- cations Services

Stores Branch

Other work (various) not assignable to 1, 2, or 3

1. Post Office Workers' Union

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

2. Irish Post Office Engineering Union

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

3. Post Office Management Staffs' Association

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

4. Postmasters' Association

Yes

Yes

No

No

5. G.P.O. Departmental Officers' Union

Yes

Yes

No

No

6. Telecommunications Officials' Union

No

Yes

No

No

7. Association of Assistant Secretaries

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

8. Association of Higher Civil Servants

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

9. Civil Service Executive Union

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

10. Civil and Public Services' Staff Association

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

11. Union of Professional and Technical Civil Servants

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

12. Irish Women Workers' Union

Yes

No

Yes

No

13. National Union of Woodcutters and Woodcutting Machinists

No

No

Yes

No

14. Union of Construction and Allied Trades and Technicians

No

Yes

No

No

15. Irish Transport and General Workers' Union

No

Yes

Yes

No

16. Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers

No

No

Yes

No

17. Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick and Stonelayers Trade Union

No

Yes

No

No

18. Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union

No

No

Yes

No

19. Irish National Painters and Decorators Union

No

Yes

Yes

No

20. National Engineering and Electrical Trade Union

No

No

Yes

No

21. Federated Workers' Union of Ireland

No

No

Yes

No

22. Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union

No

No

Yes

No

23. Marine Port and General Workers' Union

No

Yes

No

No

24. Automobile General Engineering and Mechanical Operatives' Union

No

No

Yes

No

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