asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (a) the exchanges in County Donegal which have not as yet been converted to automatic; and (b) the dates on which it is proposed to convert each exchange.

As the information required by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement I propose to circulate it with the Official Report.

The following is the statement:

Forecasts for the conversion of manual telephone exchanges in County Donegal to automatic working.

34.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the locations in south west Donegal where telephone kiosks will be erected before the end of March 1983.

As the kiosk programme for 1983 is at present under review it is not possible to furnish the information sought at this stage. The Deputy will be communicated with as soon as the information is available.

35.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when fifteen telephone lines will be provided for a firm (details supplied) in County Dublin.

It is expected that three lines will be provided within about two months and that 12 further lines will be provided within about six months.

36.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when it is proposed to erect a telephone kiosk at Meenbanad, County Donegal.

During the second half of 1983.

37.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will make telephone kiosks available on all islands off our coast.

It is intended to provide telephone kiosks on the following Islands: Clare Island, County Mayo; Inishbofin, County Donegal; Inishmaan, County Galway; Long Island, County Cork; Tory Island, County Donegal and Whiddy Island, County Cork. There are no plans for the provision of kiosks on other inhabited islands which are not already served by telephone kiosks.

38.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Dublin was not provided with a telephone service when her neighbours were provided with service over two to three months ago.

Terms have been quoted to the person named and it is expected that service will be provided within about three months. It has not been possible in the time available to ascertain why service was not provided earlier.

39.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if an additional telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare.

An additional telephone line will be provided as soon as possible but is is unlikely that the necessary engineering work will be completed for about a year.

In view of the fact that the private line currently being used for official business is the telephone of the fire chief for the area, would it not be possible to make an exception and try to provide the extra line? If an emergency arose there could be a difficulty because of communications.

I will take note of what the Deputy said with a view to doing something about it if at all possible.

40.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when the new digital telephone exchange with 1,400 new lines will be in operation in Wexford, as the present system, which is 50 years old and extremely over-loaded, is a severe handicap particularly to industrial and commercial interests in the area.

In the last quarter of this year.

Could the Minister speed up this proposition? I know prospective industrialists who have been put off coming to Wexford town because the telephone service is so bad. Would the Minister agree that this will probably contribute further to the disastrous unemployment situation in that area?

There were not too many applications for telephones in that area compared with other areas. For 1980 there were five, 1981, 79 and 1982, 119: total 203.

41.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will review the decision taken some time ago to remove medical doctors from the list of those persons entitled to priority for telephone repairs.

Medical doctors have priority for telephone repairs. The recent review of the priority system revealed a need for a reduction in the number of subscribers granted priority and particularly a reduction in the number of subscribers entitled to priority on a round-the-clock seven days a week basis. Under the revised systems general practitioners as a group are given priority attention for maintenence during normal working hours but consultants on call and other key medical personnel in the major hospitals continue to have the same level of priority as previously. The change in the arrangement was discussed with the Irish Medical Association and the special arrangement regarding consultants and key medical personnel agreed with them.

What categories are on the priority list?

There are different categories and I have given those on the top priority list. On the second priority list are the Deputy and people like him.

42.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be restored to a firm (details supplied) in Dublin 1, as it is required urgently.

Service will be restored within the next few days.

43.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be restored to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9.

Service will be restored in a day or so.

44.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when it is proposed to erect a telephone kiosk at Townspark, Convoy, County Donegal.

It is planned to provide a kiosk at Townspark, Convoy, under the guarantee scheme. The kiosk will be provided as soon as possible after the legal formalities are completed.

Questions Nos. 45 and 46 are for written reply.

47.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the work that has been undertaken to expand the telephone exchange in Thurles, County Tipperary; when this work will be complete; and, when completed, the number of additional telephone lines the exchange will be able to service.

A 400 subscribers line extension to Thurles exchange has been installed and is being tested at present. It is expected to be brought into service in about a month's time.

48.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin as the telephone has been installed since September.

Service was provided on 1 February 1983.

49.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be restored to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 as her telephone has been out of order since the beginning of November.

Service has been restored.

In relation to these questions and what Deputy B. Ahern said earlier, would the Minister consider dispensing with this wasteful use of the Dáil's time?

That is not in order. There is a separate procedure where Deputies may put down written questions.