(Dublin Central) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the total amount of money, to the latest date available, paid to his Department as fees by subscribers who wait the installation of telephones.

I regret that the information requested by the Deputy is not available. However, my Department's records show that on 21st May, 1976, approximately £700,000 was held in respect of money paid in advance by applicants for telephone service covering connection charges, advance rentals and deposits, but this figure includes amounts paid by applicants who had been provided with service during the previous few months and for whom accounting records had not yet been set up.

(Dublin Central): Will the Minister give an indication of how long people have paid deposits but who have not yet had telephones installed?

I should explain the procedure that applies which gives part of the answer to the Deputy's question. When the Department expect to be able to provide a telephone service within three months the applicant is required to sign an agreement and to pay the appropriate connection charge and an amount in respect of rental covering the initial period of the agreement. A deposit in respect of call charges is also payable in certain cases. The telephone number is subsequently allotted and instructions are issued by means of an advice note to the engineering branch to provide the service. When the installation is completed, a copy of the advice note is forwarded to the accountant's branch for preparation of the necessary accounting records. The payment made by the applicant is then transferred from the advance payments file to the subscriber's file and an initial account is issued to the subscriber. Depending on the particular date and the quarter when the installation is completed, a period of up to five months may elapse between the date service is provided and the date the money is transferred from the advance payments file to the subscriber's accounting records. The answer would be three months in most cases, but sometimes up to five months.

(Dublin Central): May I take it from the Minister's reply that all applicants who have paid their deposits will have their telephones installed within five months, that it will not be beyond that time?

I cannot give a cast-iron guarantee that there is none beyond five months but if the Deputy would bring to my attention any cases that may be over five months I will have the matter examined.

14.