asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 as he is a chronic invalid and his wife is blind.

A survey is being carried out to ascertain when service can be provided for the person named.

The applicant will be advised of the result of the survey as soon as it is completed.

280.

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

I very much regret the delay in providing telephone service for the person named. However, it will not be possible to meet this application until necessary additional engineering work is carried out.

The objective of the Department's current telephone development programme is to provide a fully satisfactory telephone service nationally in terms of both quality and availability by the end of 1984. It is expected that service will be provided for the person named during the first half of next year.

281.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone service will be provided for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 as she is 82 years of age and lives alone.

Service will be provided for the person named as soon as it is possible to do so but it is unlikely that the necessary cabling can be completed before the first half of next year.

This sort of delay is very much regretted but by this time next year hopefully the position will be resolved as the great bulk of telephone applications will then be met on demand.

282.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when a telephone which has been installed for some weeks will be connected for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8.

I very much regret the delay in providing service for the person named. The cable pair serving the applicant was found to be faulty at the installation stage. The fault is having attention at present and it is expected that service will be provided within the next two weeks or so.