asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the telephone exchange at Cappawhite, County Tipperary, will be changed from manual to automatic working.

(Dublin South-Central): It is expected that Cappawhite telephone exchange will be converted to automatic working in about three years.

: As the Minister no doubt is aware, Cappawhite telephone exchange is quite a sizeable exchange with a large number of subscribers. The subscribers consider, especially when smaller exchanges have gone automatic, that they should get priority treatment. Is there any hope that the exchange will change to automatic working sooner than three years?

(Dublin South-Central): A site has been acquired by the Office of Public Works for the erection of an automatic exchange combined with a garda station. The Department have asked the Office of Public Works if they would be prepared to go ahead at an earlier date, and if it would be possible to proceed with one part of the project apart from the Garda station. However, I cannot give any undertaking at this time.