asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the public telephone kiosks in Limerick city will be repaired and made operational; the plans, if any, to make the kiosks vandalproof and the cost of repairing vandalised telephone kiosks for the past 12 months.

(Dublin South-Central): It is expected that they will all be repaired within the next three weeks.

It is not possible to make kiosks vandal-proof but the Department have taken all measures practicable over the years to reduce their liability to damage. These include reinforcing the coinboxes, replacing glass by special strengthened plastic and improving the lights in the kiosks. In addition, 200 specially strengthened coinboxes were brought into service and 1,000 new type coinboxes, which include a number of features designed to prevent theft and damage by vandalism, are expected to be brought into service early next year. More of these coinboxes will be supplied later. Ways of combating damage by vandalism are kept under continuous review.

The actual cost of repairing kiosks damaged over the last 12 months is not readily available but is estimated to be about £150,000.

In the context of the review to which the Minister has referred, perhaps he would look at the systems of telephone kiosks in a number of continental countries, particularly France, where the siting and the actual structure of the kiosks tend to make it extremely difficult to have any damage done to them.

(Dublin South-Central): I can assure the Deputy that my Department are keeping this matter under continuous review, but I shall bring the Deputy's remarks to the attention of my Department. However, he can be assured that this matter is under continuous review in an effort to reduce the vandalism which is taking place on an extensive scale throughout the city and indeed throughout the country.

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