asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if a telephone service will be reconnected immediately for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.

: I am sorry that reconnection is not practicable. Arrears due on the telephone have been outstanding for a long time.

15.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the reason the telephone line of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin was removed from his house and transferred to an adjoining house without his permission or authorisation; and having regard to the fact that this subscriber was ill in hospital at the time and that his telephone line was removed and taken away without his permission, if the former line or an alternative line will be restored to him as he is still ill and in most urgent need of a telephone facility.

: The telephone line in question was transferred to another party at the written request of the subscriber. It was subsequently removed to another address at the request of the new subscriber.

It is expected that telephone service will be provided for the former subscriber on a new line basis within about three months. It would not be particable to restore his former line to him.

16.

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

: It is expected that service will be provided within about a year.

17.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if his Department will take steps to improve the telephone service in the Tuam area, County Galway dialling prefix 093; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: I am aware that there are problems at present regarding the quality of telephone service in the Tuam (093) area. It is expected that the service will be substantially improved in about three months' time, when the new digital trunk exchange at Mervue, Galway and a new radio link between Mervue and Tuam come into service.

: A good, big, long answer for that question.

: I did not hear the Deputy.

: I am very glad it is coming to me.

: It was a well articulated reply, well pronounced.

: Will we be able to ring the Minister now?

: I suppose Deputy Wilson did not want the service to improve, but to disimprove.

: Oh, no. That is very unfair, because Deputy Wilson and I are very concerned about the telephone service to the west.

: There are no western jokes, as far as the western TDs are concerned.

18.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin as she applied for it in 1976.

: Service will be provided as soon as possible for the person named, but it is unlikely that the necessary engineering work can be completed before the latter part of this year.

19.

(Dublin North-West) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if a telephone service will be provided as a matter of urgency for a business (details supplied) in Dublin 11.

: Service will be provided as soon as it is possible to do so. However, it is unlikely that the necessary engineering work can be completed before the end of this year.

20.

(Dublin North-West) asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone kiosk will be erected to service the residents of Larkhill Estate, Whitehall, Dublin 9.

: It is expected that the telephone kiosk recently erected at Crestfield Drive within 30 yards of the entrance to Larkhill Estate will be adequate to meet the needs of the general area including Larkhill Estate.

21.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5.

: Within about a year.

: I was very reluctant to put such a question at this time but in view of the fact that two senior citizens are involved who are both incapacitated to a great extent, I find it difficult to accept that these people will have to wait for a year for service. Could the Minister not give me an assurance that service to these people will be provided much sooner? Is it not true, in fact, that cabling is currently being laid in that area?

: Service cannot be provided until additional engineering work has been carried out in the area.

: Could the Minister review this case in view of the extreme circumstance? It was with extreme reluctance that I put down this question.

: I will do that.

22.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when Donegal town exchange will be converted to automatic; and the effect this will have on the present staff, both permanent and temporary.

: Later this year. Operator services will be retained at Donegal on an interim basis after this but the volume of operator-assisted traffic will be greatly reduced. There will, therefore, be a substantial reduction in the number of operating staff needed.

Full-time staff who become surplus to local requirements will have the option of transferring to another exchange or resigning. Full-time staff transferring will be paid a resettlement allowance and those who opt to resign will be paid compensation.

Part-time staff are recruited locally for specific exchanges. It may be possible to offer employment at another exchange to a small number who have been working long hours, but other night staff will have their services terminated and be paid compensation. I should like to add that I made that announcement in Donegal three weeks ago.

: In view of the disruption of the employees in the Donegal exchange would the Minister give a guarantee here that they will be given employment in, for instance, Letterkenny, Sligo, or adjacent telephone exchanges, preferably in Donegal?

: Full-time staff who have become surplus to local requirements will have the option of transferring to another exchange or resigning. I cannot give any guarantee as to what exchange.

: Would the Minister not agree that to offer these people a post in an exchange in Cork would not lead to a very happy situation for those people who have given such good service?

: I accept that.

: The Minister should accommodate these people in their own native area of Donegal, if possible.

: As the Deputy is aware, it is not the function of the Minister to transfer staff.