asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, having regard to the inconvenience being caused to applicants for telephones in the Botanic Avenue, Glasnevin area of Dublin by reason of the inability of his Department to provide the telephones required, he will state the reasons for the delay; and when steps will be taken to overcome them.

The delay is due to exhaustion of spare capacity in the underground cables serving the area. The provision of additional cables is being expedited as much as possible but owing to the very substantial amount of work to be done it is not expected that the applications at present on hands can have attention until next year.