Direct dialling in Donegal exchanges
The Minister said direct dialling was planned for Bunbeg and Greencastle, with no current plans for other manual exchanges while staff focus on automation. Gallagher urged expansion to Dungloe, Burtonport and Killybegs and raised unreliable lines in Ballybofey; the Minister said he would bear the points in mind.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the exchanges in County Donegal which are due to obtain direct dial lines prior to conversion to the automatic system.
Comment on this
: It is expected that direct dial lines will be provided at Bunbeg and Greencastle exchanges in the near future. Having regard to the necessity to concentrate staff effort on the primary objective of converting manual exchanges to automatic working there are no plans at present to extend the direct dialling facility to any further manual exchanges in County Donegal.
Comment on this
: Would the Minister investigate the possibility of making direct dialling available to other exchanges that are not on stream for automation in the next 12 months?
Comment on this
: I do not have details of what is planned so far as the automatic exchanges are concerned but I will bear the Deputy's point in mind. However, it is my opinion that we should not divert in any major way the efforts being made in the area of direct dialling. There may be temporary difficulties but at the end of the day what we should aim for is direct dialling especially in areas like Donegal and Sligo.
Comment on this
: It would not be in our best interest to diversify in any major way but there are a number of exchanges such as Dungloe, Burtonport and Killybegs at which the service is not available. I do not think that Killybegs which is the largest fishing port in the country is on stream for direct dialling in the coming 12 to 18 months. The Minister might consider that factor and he might consider also the provision of additional lines for Ballybofey where there are only six lines which are out of order fairly frequently.
Comment on this
: Would it not be more important to forge ahead with the direct dial system in Donegal, a system which the rest of the country is used to, rather than to consider parts of Donegal for digital service?
Comment on this
: I will keep in mind what the Deputy says but after the coming by-election Ballybofey may have its own Deputy who will be pressing ahead for the service.