asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why Griffith Court estate, Fairview, Dublin 3, has been designated a secondary area in terms of priority for telephone installations; if he is aware that there are a number of applicants in the medical profession including doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians for whom the installation of a telephone at the earliest opportunity is vital; and if he will expedite these applications without further delay.

(Dublin South-Central): No area is ever designated as a secondary one for telephone purposes. The estate concerned is one of a number in the Dublin area where cabling schemes have to be carried out before service can be provided for waiting applicants. It is expected that the cabling work in this estate will be completed before the end of this year, following which applications for services will be met without delay.

Will the Minister say whether it is possible to give some recognition of the need for priority to people mentioned in the question such as members of the medical profession, doctors, nurses and also people involved in important community work? Is it possible to do anything as a temporary measure to facilitate those people? The Minister is saying that it is hoped that cabling work will be completed by the end of the year.

(Dublin South-Central): That is right.

So we cannot promise them a phone in the immediate future?

(Dublin South-Central): No. There is one application in that scheme from a surgeon who is residing in it. There is no other application in hand from persons employed in the medical or related professions.

I do not want to delay on this question, but what is the prospect of people getting priority in the event of applications either in the Department already or coming in? Is the Minister aware that the reason there are not more applications in his Department in the categories mentioned is that his Department refuse to hand out application forms at present because nobody is able to process them? It would be unrealistic and wrong for the Minister to say there is a lack of——

That is argument.

What are the prospects of some sort of priority for people urgently needing telephones in this area?

(Dublin South-Central): I have pointed out to the Deputy that there is one application from a surgeon on call. He is the only applicant in my Department who is in any way related to the medical profession who requires the services.

What kind of priority would people in that category get?

(Dublin South-Central): He is the only applicant at the moment. One was given a telephone some time ago. He is the only applicant now. Surgeons and doctors always receive priority.

How many people are on priority at the moment?

(Dublin South-Central): One.

How many are there in general?

(Dublin South-Central): I do not know. The Deputy did not ask me anything about that. He is talking about the medical profession here.

Are there 60,000 applications in the Department on some sort of priority?