asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of applicants awaiting telephone service and the number of applicants for transfer of telephone service as at the latest available date, the percentage of such applications categorised as being "priority", the average length of time between the receipt of an application and the installation of a telephone for: (a) normal applications for telephone service, (b) special applications, (c) normal applicants for transfer of telephone service and (d) special applications for transfer of telephone service.

Dublin South-Central): The number is about 76,000, of which some 6,000 are for removal of service. About 15 per cent of these applications are classified as “priority”.

Statistics are not maintained in a form that would allow of the remaining information sought by the Deputy being readily obtained. However, examination of a random sample of applications met in 1978, including applications accorded priority, showed that 26 per cent of them were met within three months, 51 per cent within six months, and 76 per cent within 12 months. The remaining 24 per cent of applications were made over varying periods in excess of 12 months before service was provided.

Is the Minister of State aware that in rural areas in particular the time limit can run into five years and has he any plans to give some kind of reasonable service to people in rural areas?

(Dublin South-Central): What I am giving is an average. There could be extenuating circumstances in various parts of the country.

What is the longest case?

(Dublin South-Central): I have not got that information.

Why not?

(Dublin South-Central): I was not asked the question.

I asked the Minister of State if he was aware that there were people in rural areas who were a very long time on the waiting list, sometimes up to five years, and whether he has any plans to provide service for people in that category.

(Dublin South-Central): There is a development plan for the country. The Deputy must be aware that a Bill was introduced in the Dáil some time ago to improve and up-date the telephone service throughout the country.

How long ago was that?

(Dublin South-Central): Just a few months ago.

Every week I have dozens of people coming to see me who cannot get a telephone service and who are waiting years for it.

Is it not a fact that the present backlog of 76,000 is 11,000 more than it was last year? Is it not a fact that the average waiting time has similarly increased and is now longer than it was 12 months ago? Is it not a fact that the person longest on the list has been waiting for six or seven years?

(Dublin South-Central): It is true that there were more applications this year than ever before. The increase in the number of new applications was due to the expansion of our economy.

(Cavan-Monaghan): It is due to the fact that they cannot post a letter.

(Dublin South-Central): In regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, we had an industrial dispute this year which resulted in a longer waiting period.

Can the Minister say why he thinks that the halving of the national growth rate should increase the number of applications, which is what Fianna Fáil have achieved in two years?

(Dublin South-Central): The percentage growth rate in 1978, which was 7 per cent, was the cause of the upsurge in the economy and therefore the increased number of applications.

We are now in 1979 and talking of the year 1979 in which the growth rate is forecast by the EEC at 2.8 per cent.

I am calling the next question.