Bertie Ahern
Ceist:23 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the initiatives, if any, he has taken to co-ordinate improvements in communications and infrastructure vis-á-vis Donegal. [6615/96]
Written Answers. - Donegal Infrastructure Improvements.
Improvements in communications and infrastructure vis-á-vis Donegal are a matter, primarily, for the relevant State bodies. However, my Department coordinates a range of EU backed investments in the postal, energy, telecommunications and transport sectors which will benefit County Donegal during the period 1994-99.
With the assistance from the European Union under the Economic Infrastructure Operational Programme (EIOP) 37 post offices are targeted for automation in 1996-97. This will mean that Donegal will then have a total of 68 automated post offices.
Under the Joint INTERREG Programme for Northern Ireland and Ireland, 1994-99 telecommunications investments planned for the Donegal area include the replacement and upgrading of telephone exchanges and the provision of fibre optic cabling and high speed transmission systems. At the end of the investment period Donegal will have a digital telecommunications network. There will also be a significant upgrading of the electricity infrastructure in Donegal. This upgrading will include the provision of a 110kV station at Buncrana at an estimated cost of £3.6 million. On the transport side the existing bus station in Letterkenny is to be upgraded at a cost of £120,000.