Vol. 403 No. 1
26 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Communications if he will outline the policy objectives, if any, which he has set for Telecom Éireann in relation to (a) remission of debt, (b) reduction of prices including call prices and connection charges, (c) the expansion of local call boundaries and (d) the speed of repairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The objectives set for Telecom Éireann are to be found in the summary of the company's corporate plan which was published in the company's report and accounts for the year ended 29 March 1990, copies of which have been laid before each House of the Oireachtas. I might add for the record that during that year the company redeemed £88 million of debt, there was a decrease of 2.5 per cent in overall telephone charges and an average decrease of 16 per cent in cross-channel charges. Since Telecom were set up in 1984 overall telecommunications charges have been reduced by 22 per cent in real terms and it is the company's intention to continue this policy of reduction in prices. The possibility of expanding local call boundaries is under consideration. The company's fault clearance target is 85 per cent cleared in two working days and 100 per cent cleared in five working days and the company's performance at year end was approximately 80 per cent cleared in two working days and about 98 per cent cleared in five working days.
