asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the standards which are being erected in the County Dublin and elsewhere for the purposes of carrying the electric cables will be moved free of any expense in the event of the land being required for building or purposes other than agriculture, and if he will state (a) whether any compensation or rent will be payable for the land occupied by these standards, and (b) in the event of crops being injured through access of these standards, who will bear the loss.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ERECTION OF ELECTRIC STANDARDS.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Deviations in the line of the cables as finally laid out are not desirable, and would not in any case be practicable except within very narrow limits. Compensation is payable for the acquisition of the right to erect and maintain poles, but as I stated in answer to a question on the 11th instant, the compensation will, following the practice in all countries, be merely nominal. Compensation for avoidable damage to crops occasioned in the erection of the poles will be borne by the contractors; for unavoidable damage, by my Department.
Will the Minister say if those uprights or cables have to be removed for the purpose of building by whom the responsibility of removal will be borne?
I have already stated that the uprights will not be removed for this purpose.
So that land that is capable of being developed for building will thereby have such development stopped.
Yes.
Will compensation be awarded?
No. Compensation will be awarded, in the first instance, on the basis of the land being acquired for the purpose of the poles, and I have stated that that compensation will be merely nominal. We have tried to avoid going on land that is definitely and clearly to be used for building purposes, but we cannot have claims made afterwards that land would have been used for building purposes if the poles had not been there.
In the event of land becoming available or suitable for building, and an upright being on that land, the Minister informs us that he is prepared to compensate the owner for the area covered by the upright but not for the loss of the land for building purposes.
Would the Minister consider laying on the Table a summary of the laws of Ontario dealing with this matter, which would show how difficulties have been overcome there?
The difficulties have been overcome there in the manner my Department is adopting.