asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the telephone exchange at Ballyhaunis, County Mayo will become automatic and if he will make a statement on the matter.

24.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction of people in Ballyhaunis area of County Mayo that the local exchange is not included in the 094 automatic zone, if he will amend the present plans for automation of this exchange and have this omission rectified as this is the only exchange in south Mayo to be so excluded and when automatic service will be provided in the area.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.

It is expected that Ballyhaunis telephone exchange will become automatic in the latter half of 1982. Under automatic conditions Castlerea will be the switching centre for Ballyhaunis and must, therefore, be converted first. The forecast given is based on the estimated time required to complete the new exchange building at Castlerea and to instal the automatic equipment at Castlerea and Ballyhaunis.

I am aware of the anxiety to have Ballyhaunis made automatic and it is one of the main objectives of my Department that all remaining manual exchanges be converted as rapidly as is possible. However, as the layout of the trunk network and the planning of the automatic trunk switching system generally has been developed on the basis of Ballyhaunis being switched at Castlerea it would not be practicable at this late stage to transfer Ballyhaunis to the 094 Claremorris-Castlebar existing automatic system.

Question No. 25 is for written reply.

26.