asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his Department is in a position to provide a facility whereby the telephone line in a doctor's surgery (details supplied) in Dublin may be switched through to the home of whichever doctor is on duty and also provide more lines to the surgery.

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

I am anxious to draw the Minister's attention to the fact that my question refers to doctors' surgeries. Is the Minister aware of the seriousness of the situation that arises because a busy surgery accommodating three doctors has but one telephone line? Is it not possible to install overhead cables to provide a service so as to prevent serious problems arising in emergency cases?

For the Deputy's information I should like to state that at present there is only one telephone line at that address. Two additional lines were applied for on 14 January 1981 and on 2 September 1981 each of the three doctors applied for an external extension from that address to their homes. Provision of the required facilities, including lines at that address, is dependent on completion of cabling work to serve the area. Because of the volume of engineering work on hands requiring attention in the Dublin district it is unlikely that it will be possible to provide a service for about a year. I appreciate Deputy Andrews' concern. I am aware of the need for the facilities and I will ask the Department to pay special attention to the matter and report back to the Deputy as soon as possible.

I appreciate the content of the Minister's reply but I should like to know if he is aware of the improvements in technology whereby the type of services the doctors are seeking can be provided?

There is a restriction due to the non-availability of cable in the area. Modern technology still depends on such cabling. In the circumstances, the Deputy should allow me to request my Department to come back to him with the report as quickly as possible.

15.