asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if his Department have paid all outstanding liabilities to Telecom Éireann since 1 January 1984.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telecom Éireann Accounts.
14.
With the exception of the September quarter telephone accounts which are being processed at the moment and some individual accounts from previous quarters which are being queried with Telecom Éireann, the Department have fully discharged their liabilities to Telecom Éireann since 1 January 1984.
Would the Minister indicate the amount of money involved in the accounts which have been queried by the Department?
The estimate for these services for 1984 is £339,000. Of course this year has not yet been completed but so far this year £214,000 has been paid. You do not pay for services you have not yet used.
The Minister said he is querying certain bills he received from Telecom Éireann. This company are in a very serious financial situation. The Minister is not giving a lead in this regard, but he actually owes Telecom Éireann and I ask him and all Departments to pay their accounts.
I hope the Deputy is not suggesting I should pay bills I do not owe?
No.
The State, like every other consumer, is entitled to query bills and as long as I am Minister in charge of this Department we will query any and every bill from a State or private sector company if we do not think the money is owing, as I am sure the Deputy does in his own home.
I do. How much do the Department actually owe Telecom Éireann? The Minister cannot tell me.
I have answered that question already. Bills are being queried by the Departament just as there might be a query on the telephone account for Deputy Leyden's home in Roscommon, but until the queries are settled neither he nor Telecom Éireann know how much is owing.
How much is in dispute? The Taoiseach had the decency to give me an answer. He said his Department owed Bord Telecom Éireann £55,000.
As regards the quarter ending in September, to which I referred in my original reply, the current account was received on 18 October, and we would be doing very well if we had paid that by now. It would normally take three to four weeks to fully process such a bill. As far as the disputed accounts are concerned, the amount involved does not exceed £5,000.
Thank you.