Major changes to the State's telephone numbering system were announced yesterday by the Director of Telecommunications Regulation, Ms Etain Doyle.
Local five-digit numbers in certain areas of the north-east and south-west are to increase in the coming weeks to seven digits. Old numbers in these areas will be recovered to facilitate a growing demand for Internet access as well as the arrival of new service providers in the market with Telecom Eireann's monopoly coming to an end on December 1st.
The changes were announced with the publication of a discussion document, Numbering in Ire- land for the 21st Century.
Immediate changes are to come into force in the (041), (042), (049), (065), (066) and (021) areas.
In the 041 area, numbers in Drogheda starting with the digits 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 will have the prefix 98; those in Ardee starting with the digits 5 and 6 will have the prefix 68.
In the 042 area, numbers in Dundalk starting with the digits 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8 will have the prefix 93; those in Carrickmacross starting with the digits 6, 90, 91, 92, 94 and 98 will have the prefix 96; and those in Castleblayney starting with the digits 4 and 95 will have the prefix 97.
In the 049 area, numbers in Cavan starting with the digits 3, 6 and 7 will have the prefix 43; those in Cootehill starting with the digit 5 will have the prefix 55; those in Oldcastle starting with the digit 4 will have the prefix 85; those in Belturbet starting with the digit 2 will have the prefix 95.
In the 065 area, numbers in Ennis starting with the digits 2, 3, 4 and 6 will have the prefix 68; those in Ennistymon starting with the digits 7 and 8 will have the prefix 70; and those in Kilrush starting with 5 will have the prefix 90.
In the 066 area, numbers in Tralee starting with the digits 2, 3, 4 and 8 will have the prefix 71; those in Dingle starting with the digit 5 will have the prefix 91; those in Cahirciveen starting with the digit 7 will have the prefix 94; and those in Killorglin starting with the digit 6 will have the prefix 97.
