300,000 numbers will be changed

A massive switch to new telephone numbers in 21 counties will cause mayhem, the Small Firms Association has claimed.

Only Dublin, Cork, Clare, Limerick, Kerry and the western part of Tipperary will be spared the October 10 changeover.

Small Firms’ Association assistant director Patricia Callan said the decision to change over 300,000 telephone numbers in the 04, 05, 07 and 09 areas was unnecessary, costly - and would cause chaos.