asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is in a position to state whether each county in the State is considered separately as a unit when the Electricity Supply Board is considering certain areas for the supply of electric current, or if more than one county is included in the unit for such consideration.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electric Current.
I assume that the Deputy's question relates to the rural electrification scheme. For the purposes of that scheme the Electricity Supply Board do not consider each county separately as a unit when considering the order in which areas will be selected for development. The board have divided the country into ten districts with administrative headquarters at Athlone, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Limerick, Portlaoighise, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford, and none of these districts conforms to a county boundary or to county boundaries. Some of the districts include a whole county and parts of other counties; other districts consist of parts of a number of counties.
Does the Minister not consider that that is an unfair extension of the competition between towns seeking an extension?
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that this is a more practicable and more workable way of approaching the matter. They have satisfied themselves that they can get the work done more efficiently and expeditiously by working on the present basis.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state how soon the Electricity Supply Board will be in a position to give a supply of electric current for domestic use, and for street lighting, to the villages of Feakle, Mountshannon, Whitegate and Scariff.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that, owing to the distance of the villages mentioned from the nearest supply point, it has not been feasible to give supply under the board's normal development programme. Supply being available at Tulla the board are canvassing the area between Tulla and Scariff and, if this extension can be undertaken under the rural electrification scheme, consideration will then be given to the feasibility of developing the Feakle, Mountshannon and Whitegate areas.
Surely the Minister will agree that Scariff is nearer to the source of supply than Ballyshannon and Donegal?
I had thought so.