asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if it is the policy of his Department to have public telephone facilities available on the inhabited islands around our costs; and if he will arrange to have a public telephone erected on Hare Island, near Skibbereen, County Cork.

(Dublin South-Central): Public telephone facilities are provided on 23 of the most populated islands. Their provision on the remaining islands is not regarded as warranted, having regard to the small population to be served in each case and the heavy costs involved.

There is a public telephone in the post office on Hare Island which is available to the public during the office hours and at all time in an emergency. The provision of a telephone kiosk there would not be justified at present.

Will the Minister accept that there is an exceptional case for islanders living on an isolated island to have a public telephone kiosk available to them?

(Dublin South-Central): At the moment all islands with a population of 50 and over have public telephones.

Does that include the Blaskets?

In regard to the people on Hare Island not having the telephone in the post office available to them other than in office hours would the Minister accept that in conscience and in justice, when service is restored, they should have a public telephone available to them at all times?

(Dublin South-Central): As the Deputy has mentioned, there is a post office on Hare Island and the receipts from the telephone are roughly in the region of £86 per annum.

Is the Minister aware that the telephone in the post office is not private and that nobody on the island can make a private telephone call from the post office?

(Dublin South-Central): I appreciate the position on the islands. I assure the Deputy that the Department are having a look at the whole situation, but we must take the costings into consideration. There are 94 inhabited islands around the coast with anything of a population from one to 50. We must take the costings into consideration when we consider installing telephones.

Will the Minister undertake to have a further look at the problem in regard to Hare Island about which there is very strong feeling?

(Dublin South-Central): I will have a look at all the islands. I cannot give any guarantee in regard to Hare Island.

Will the Minister communicate with me when he has completed his look at this problem?

Question No. 8.

Is the Minister nodding "yes" or "no"?

Order, please.

I am asking for the answer to my last question.

A nod is not on the record of the House.

(Dublin South-Central): We are continuously carrying out a survey of these things. It is an ongoing situation.

Does this mean that there will be no determination of the surveys carried out?

Question No. 8.

8.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware of the great need for a public telephone kiosk at Derrybrien, Loughrea, County Galway, as the local post office closes at 6 p.m. every day.

(Dublin South-Central): Arrangements have already been made to provide a kiosk at Derrybrien. It will be erected and brought into service as soon as possible after the necessary consents have been obtained to a suitable site.

9.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will have a telephone kiosk erected at Cloghroe village, County Cork.

(Dublin South-Central): There is a kiosk at Tower, Blarney which is within less than two miles of the furthest point of Cloghroe. Provision of a further kiosk in the general area would not be warranted by the use likely to be made of it.