ITG, the publicly-quoted provider of telecommunications and computer services, has been awarded the contract to install private payphones at the new Tallaght hospital. While not disclosing the value of the contract, the company claims it is the largest of its kind ever awarded in the Republic. Yesterday its chairman, Mr Pascal Taggart, presented the company's annual report for the year to April 30th, 1997. The company reported a profit on ordinary activities before taxation of £500,490 on turnover of £5.562 million, compared to a profit of £77,494 on turnover of £3.25 million the previous year.

Mr Taggart said the company was interested in making a "large" acquisition in Britain in the near future, but the main concentration for the next year would be on telephone sales and services, which accounted for 55 per cent of the company's business.

ITG is now directly competing with Telecom Eireann in the provision of "on-street" payphones and by the end of the year, it hopes to have 450 payphone sites established.