asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, in view of the increased population in the Springfield area of Tallaght, County Dublin, he will consider providing a new sub-post office for the area.

The stage has not yet been reached when provision of a sub-post office for the area would be warranted. The question of providing an office will continue to be kept under review according as housing and other development progresses. Tallaght post office is considered to cater adequately for the needs of the area at present.

Arising from the Minister's reply, he did say in answer to my question regarding Walkinstown that the matter would be kept under review pending further development. Surely the Minister is aware that there is no area more developed than the Tallaght area. Regarding my question about a sub-post office in Tallaght, the post office is not adequate to meet the needs of the people there. I consider that there is sufficient development in the Springfield and Tallaght area to warrant the setting up of a new sub-post office and I am asking the Minister to reconsider that.

I agree with the Deputy that further development in the Tallaght area, including Springfield, will require the expansion of post office facilities, but of course the claims of some other estates in the area to a post office may be as strong as Springfield's, and Springfield cannot be considered in isolation. As I indicated, I am keeping the matter under review as the area develops.

Will the Minister agree that the setting of a new post office will eliminate many of the problems which exist in the Tallaght post office at the moment? The main reasons there are so many problems there are overcrowding and lack of accommodation.

I do not accept that the existing post office is inadequate at the present stage, but as the area develops there will be need for a further post office.