asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will provide a telephone kiosk at Shanafaraghaun, Via Finney P.O., County Galway.

(Dublin South-Central): The use likely to be made of a kiosk at Shanafaraghaun would not be sufficient to warrant its provision.

30.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the urgent need for a telephone in the old folks' dwellings at Rossaveal Court, Ballyfermot, Dublin, and if he will make urgent provision for one.

(Dublin South-Central): Arrangements have been made to provide service and it is expected that the telephone will be installed within the next two months.

31.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason for the exceptional delays in installing telephones in the west Waterford 024 area.

(Dublin South-Central): The main reason is that because Youghal exchange is operating at peak traffic-carrying capacity it would not be in the interests of existing subscribers to give service to any large number of applicants at present. It is expected that the position will be remedied over the next year.

32.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if any allocation from EEC funds has been made to provide a modern and efficient telephone service in the north west; and, if not, why.

(Dublin South-Central): The answer to the first part of the question is “yes”. I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate with the Official Report a list of projects in the area designed to improve the telephone service which are being funded, in part, by EEC grants.

Following is the list:

Statement of telephone development projects in Countries Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim which are being funded, in part, by EEC grants.

Are any or all of these projects in addition to existing installations or is provision made in the long term for a complete renewal of the entire system not only in the north-west but in the whole country?

(Dublin South-Central): Donegal and Sligo are getting considerable funds. The Deputy knows that Letterkenny, which is being made automatic very shortly, got a grant in the region of £1.5 million from EEC funds.

Is the Minister satisfied that when Letterkenny exchange after all these years is made automatic it will be an automatic service? Is he also satisfied that it will work or will it be in the same category as the other automatic or manual services which exist at the moment and which are a disgrace?

That is a separate question.

(Dublin South-Central): I assure the Deputy that the Letterkenny exchange will be of a very modern design and will improve——

Have they finally succeeded in the Letterkenny exchange in getting the equipment to fit the building, because the building was not built to fit the equipment? That was the cause of the delay for the last three years.

(Dublin South-Central): I understand that in the second half of 1979——

Could the Minister tell us the amount of the EEC allocation? Will it be separately accounted for from the Department's existing on-going programme of telephone installation improvements to ensure that EEC money is used for an acceleration of the programme and not merely to save Exchequer funds?

(Dublin South-Central): If the Deputy looks at the capital programme for the Department of Posts and Telegraphs he will realise that there has been no reduction but a big increase——

That is not an answer to my question.

Is there any chance of giving some of that money to CIE who need it?

Am I to take it that we will have a modern automatic telephone exchange throughout the entire north-west area of Donegal when this new telephone exchange is opened in Letterkenny?

Question No. 33.

I asked a question.

We have passed to the next question and we have another Minister answering.

Is the Minister afraid to give the information? Does that mean that we will still have the same type of telephone service in Donegal for the next five years?

Question No. 33.