asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the successful local canvass and the urgent necessity of preserving the Gaeltacht and providing social amenities therein, he will impress on the E.S.B. the absolute necessity of extending rural electrification to the Glencolumbkille peninsula.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification.
I am informed by the E.S.B. that an official canvass of the residents of the Glencolumbkille area has recently been completed and that the area will be considered by the board early in the new year for development under the rural electrification scheme. I am not in a position to state when development is likely to take place.
As I stated in my reply to a similar question relating to another area on the 18th November, the selection of areas for development under the rural electrification scheme and the determination of their order of priority are matters for the E.S.B.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether the E.S.B. intend to extend the rural electrification scheme at present being carried out at Touraneena, County Waterford, to the Affane district, which is only two miles distant at the nearest point and where there is a high percentage of people willing and anxious to avail of the service.
I am informed by the E.S.B. that the Affane area has been considered by the board on a number of occasions for development under the rural electrification scheme but has not so far been selected, due mainly to the fact that the percentage of householders who have agreed to take supply is low. The area will be considered again in due course, but I am not in a position to state when development is likely to take place.