andMr. Hegarty asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will give details of the extension to the telephone exchange at Youghal, County Cork, when it is expected to become operational, and how soon the backlog of telephone installation applications will be attended to in the area.

The extension proposed is a 1,000 line mobile exchange to supplement the existing 900 line exchange. It is expected to be in service in the autumn. It is planned to provide service to about half of the waiting applicants within 12 months of the exchange becoming available and the remainder over the subsequent six months.

Is the Minister aware that some of these people have already been waiting three years for a connection? The Minister told us earlier that the vast majority of people waiting longer than two years would be catered for in the next 12 months.

In 1976 30 people were waiting, in 1977 45 people were waiting, in 1978 there were 75 people, in 1979 there were 30 and in 1980 there are ten.

The Minister will know that in my area it is considerably greater.

44.