asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has any immediate plans to install a radio link to Inishshark Island, County Galway, so as to enable a telephone system to operate there; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I understand that there are no permanent residents on the island and in view of the cost of providing service there and of the difficulties in maintenance that would be involved, I have no immediate plans to provide a telephone service at this island. The possibility of providing service for an applicant there will be examined, however, when resources permit.

On the contrary, there are applications from people who wish to retire to the island. It is only a small technical matter and something which the Minister and the Department should take into account. I should like to know if there is any change in the policy of the Department concerning island telecommunication links in general? Has the Minister changed the philosophy and the policy that existed in the Department when he took it over and, if so, what is the change?

There will be no change in policy. Again, if the Deputy had asked that question originally he would have been given a reply to it. I should like to point out that there are no residents on this island and that the Deputy is concerned about providing a telephone service for a temporary resident who wrote to the Deputy when he was Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs from an address in Germany. That person wrote on a number of occasions asking that a telephone line be provided for his summer residence on the island but he is the only person who has put in an application in respect of the island. In view of the fact that it would cost about £8,000 to do this, I am sure the Deputy will agree that there are areas in his constituency where such an amount of money would provide more telephones.

That statement is not correct. The Minister is referring to a person who wrote to me from Hamburg in Germany, but he wrote since the last general election when I was not in the Department. Is the Minister aware that three other people who wish to retire to the island have applied? What has happened to their applications? Have they been lost?

The information I have is official and up to date.

It is not correct.

As far as we can ascertain there are no permanent inhabitants on the Inishshark island, which lies off Inishboffin island. There is an application for a telephone service on the island in the name of Erhardt Lapp, and that was made in 1974.

I will give the Minister the names of the other three applicants privately because it appears he is not aware of them.

The application was made in 1974. Since then the Deputy spent 18 months in this office but did not do anything about it. If the Deputy gives me information which would substantially alter the application I will give very sympathetic consideration to it.

There is no "if" about it. I will give the Minister the information.

4.