asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when additional telephone lines will be made available at the Walkinstown Exchange in Dublin in order to provide a telephone service to the residents of Willington, Osprey, Rushbrook and Kennington areas of Templeogue, County Dublin.

Within about six months.

Could the Minister inform me as to whether his predecessor indicated to the residents in this area that they would have telephones by June of this year, in reply to a parliamentary question in October or November last year?

That information is not in my brief but I will investigate the matter and get in touch with the Deputy.

In view of the many years that people in these estates have been awaiting telephone installations, going back further than the past six or eight months, will the Minister take steps to have this service provided in less than six months and give the area the necessary priority?

I will endeavour to bring forward this work as quickly as possible and if possible improve on that date. My officials will communicate with the two Deputies if this can be done.

Has the Minister any information about providing a mobile exchange and additional lines as an interim measure?

The first mobile exchange was expected, according to my brief, to be in operation in June 1981 and the clearance of applications for which cables were available was to commence then. I will check that date with my Department as I suspect it should be June 1982. I will get more information for the Deputy on this point.

Are there plans for a mobile exchange which would enable the lines to be provided sooner than indicated by the Minister?

I am informed that two further mobile exchanges are expected to be ready for service later this year. A permanent exchange at Crumlin is expected to be ready for service in late 1983 or early 1984.

9.