asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when private telephones will be provided in Kennington estate, Wellington Lane, County Dublin.

In about six months.

22.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when private telephones will be provided for Rushbrook estate, Wellington Lane, County Dublin.

In about six months.

23.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when private telephones will be provided for Osprey estate, Willington, County Dublin.

In about six months.

24.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when private telephones will be provided in Fettercairn estate, Tallaght, County Dublin.

It is expected that the majority of the applications will be met within the next year and the remainder will be met progressively over the following year or so.

25.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a public telephone will be provided at Marshals-town, Enniscorthy, County Wexford.

Within the next three months or so.

26.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin who complains that other residents in the area have been provided with a service although they have only recently moved into the area.

It is expected that telephone service will be provided for this applicant within about three months.

Is the Department operating a system where individuals are on a low priority list in comparison to large housing estates? In other words, an individual can wait for up to seven years but this is not the case where a housing estate is involved. Is it on a numbers system?

I cannot confirm that this system is in operation. As far as I am concerned, every application should be taken on its merits and acted on as expeditiously as possible. If an estate is being serviced it would be in order to proceed with as many installations as possible. That would be practical and economical. With regard to individual applications they will be dealt with as efficiently as possible in my Department.

27.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin.

In about a year.

28.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin who is urgently in need of a telephone for business purposes.

Service will be provided as soon as possible but it is unlikely that it will be possible to do so for about a year.

29.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin in respect of whom medical evidence has been forwarded to his Department in support of the application.

Service will be provided as soon as possible but because of the need to do additional cabling work in the area to enable service to be given, it is, regrettably, likely to take about a year before service is available.

30.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin who has sent medical evidence in support of his urgent need for service.

Service will be provided as soon as possible but it is unlikely that it will be possible to do so for about a year.

Do the Department allocate any special priority to a phone applicant who has a medical complaint? Does the Minister consider that this would be desirable?

Can the Deputy explain this please?

Do the Department show any special priority to an applicant who has a medical problem which has been confirmed by a doctor?

As far as I am concerned any applicant with a medical condition, depending on the seriousness of it, should merit priority.

31.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin; and the reason for the delay in providing service.

The date of application for telephone service recorded in this instance is 1 March 1982. Inquiries are being made to establish if cable is available to meet this application and the applicant will be informed of the outcome.

32.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin.

In about a year.

33.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin who is in poor health and who is anxiously in need of service.

It has not been possible to trace an application on behalf of the person named. If the Deputy can furnish additional information about the application — for example, when and where the application was made — further efforts will be made to trace it.

34.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason a telephone application of a person (details supplied) in Dublin has not been met in view of the fact that he first applied in 1975 and that a further application was made in November 1980.

There is no trace of any application by the person named until January 1981. Service will be provided as soon as possible, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to do so for about a year.

How is it that the applicant has a receipt for his application which he made in 1975? He applied again in November 1980 and yet the Minister's office has an application only from January.

I request my colleague to supply a copy of the reference to my Department or directly to me.

I have done that twice. I sent photocopies to the Minister's predecessor. There was no proper examination of the file. The file should be carefully examined because there is something wrong. The man has an acknowledgment for an application which he made in 1975 and was fobbed off by the Minister's predecessor in 1981.

I assure the Deputy that I will deal with this matter personally and ensure that it is investigated and sorted out.

35.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason for the delay in providing a telephone service for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath as he applied over seven years ago.

I regret that this application which was received in 1979 cannot be met because of the substantial amount of line work required to provide service for the applicant and the large volume of engineering work on hands and requiring attention in the district. It is expected that service will be provided in about a year.

According to the people involved the application has been in for longer than 1979. According to my information it has been in seven years.

My information is that it was received in 1979. If the Deputy can provide information which will assist me, I will be delighted to have the matter re-examined.

The two previous Ministers for Posts and Telegraphs were asked about this matter. I would appreciate it if the Minister would see if the application has been mislaid.

My information is quite clear and specific. This applicant applied for telephone service on 26 January 1979. As far as I am aware that is the position until I get evidence contrary to what I have from the Department.