asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what difficulties, apart from a possible scarcity of skilled workers, may prevent the maximum rate of development of the rural electrification scheme in the present year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification Scheme.
As I informed the Deputy in answer to a question on the 21st March last, the maximum rate of development cannot be achieved in the early stages of the scheme. Subject to what I then said, the Electricity Supply Board inform me that, apart from the shortage of electrical engineers and the possibility of delays in obtaining deliveries of materials from the suppliers, no other major difficulties are foreseen in expanding the rate of development in the present year.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what efforts are being made by the Electricity Supply Board to increase the number of skilled workers available for the rural electrification scheme.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that manual workers taken on for the rural electrification scheme who show an aptitude for the work are given opportunity to acquire the necessary technical knowledge so that they can be promoted to be linesmen or supervisors. The training of skilled manual workers has gone on continuously and has proved adequate, I am informed, to provide all workers necessary in this category.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the classes of workers classified as skilled who are employed by the Electricity Supply Board in connection with the rural electrification scheme, and the average number of workers in each class so employed in 1949.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that, of the workers employed by them on the rural electrification scheme, those classified as skilled and the average numbers employed in each class during 1949 were:—
|
Supervisors |
19 |
|
Electricians and linesmen |
44 |
|
Drivers |
23 |
|
Semi-skilled men |
89 |
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether a decision on the percentage rate of subsidy for rural electrification to enable a supply to be given on the basis of the Report on Rural Electrification is likely to be made soon; whether there is at present any restriction on the development of the scheme by reason of the fact that a higher capital subsidy is required to enable 69 per cent. of dwellings to be connected; or whether a supply was refused to any dwellings in completed areas by reason of the limitation of the capital subsidy to 50 per cent.
The question of the percentage rate of subsidy for rural electrification is at present under consideration.
There is no restriction on the scheme by reason of the fact that higher capital subsidy is required to enable 69 per cent. of the dwellings to be connected. Supply has not been refused to any dwellings by reason of the present statutory limitation of the capital subsidy to 50 per cent.