The removal of Eircom phone boxes across the country has been dubbed an “utter disgrace” by Sinn Féin Councillor Gerry Murray.
At the Swinford electoral area committee meeting on Tuesday Cllr Murray said the move was the “legacy of privatisation”. Councillors were studying which phone boxes are to be removed from their area.
Cllr Murray said the boxes should be retained given that people visiting the county from the USA or parts of Europe use them when their mobile phones don’t work. He said they were important for tourism.
Cllr Eugene Lavin suggested that at least one phone box should be retained in a town as it was important to hang onto as many services as possible. He said that towns with a population of more than 500 should retain one phone box.
Cllr Jimmy Maloney agreed and highlighted that if you were in Charlestown and wanted to make a call you would have to go to Tubbercurry, if you were in Foxford you would have to go to Swinford, and if you were in Kilkelly you would have to go to Knock.
Director of services for the area Mr Paddy Mahon was also critical of Eircom’s move. He said the State was on a mission to improve communication access through broadband and at the same time was pulling back on this service. “It doesn’t make sense in my humble opinion,” he added.
Cllr Murray suggested upgrading the phone boxes by adding touch screens with tourism information, instead of scrapping them. “Chambers of commerce and development associations in all towns should lobby to have them retained,” he added.
