asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for the senior citizen flats complex at Tom Clarke House, Ballybough, Dublin 3; if he is aware that Dublin City Council have requested that it be provided as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Telephone Service .
19.
: Service will be provided as soon as possible but it is unlikely that the necessary engineering work can be completed before the latter part of this year.
: This problem relates to a senior citizens' flats complex where vandalism and mugging are rampant and virtually a daily and nightly occurrence. In view of those exceptional circumstances, given that the flats complex is in the heart of Dublin, could the Minister investigate why it will take more than a year to provide a single telephone service to this flats complex?
: It is not a question of a telephone service to that area but to the house that the Deputy is talking about. The application warrants priority and attention, but service cannot be provided until additional engineering work has been carried out in the area.
: Will the Minister indicate why additional engineering work cannot be carried out as a matter of urgency, given that he has agreed that it is a priority request?
: Many priority requests are in competition with that request.
: Ceist Uimhir 20.
: I have a final supplementary.
: It better be a final supplementary.
: I am trying to establish why it is not possible within the short term at least to provide a service to this flats complex. I do not accept——
: You cannot debate. I am sure the Deputy appreciates that.
: I am asking the Minister to indicate the reasons why this work cannot be carried out as a matter of urgency. If he cannot give me those reasons, can he get them for me and communicate them to me?
: The cost of installing a telephone in the premises would be totally out of order in relation to the general cost of providing a service. Not alone does it apply in the case that Deputy Gregory refers to, but it applies in many other cases also.
(Interruptions.)
: Ceist Uimhir 20.