asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (a) in respect of each of the months from April, 1956 to date, the number of areas completed under the rural electrification scheme, and (b) the number of areas expected to be completed during the remainder of the current financial year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the official report.
The following is the statement:—
|
Number of Areas completed in each month April-September, 1956 |
Number of Areas expected to be completed in period October, 1956, to March, 1957 |
|
|
April |
4 |
|
|
May |
12 |
|
|
June |
5 |
|
|
July |
7 |
At least 26 |
|
August |
8 |
|
|
September |
18 |
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether it is intended to proceed with the development of rural electrification on the same scale as heretofore, and whether there has been any reduction in the amount of money allocated for this purpose recently.
I am informed by the E.S.B. that they expect to complete the electrical development of at least 80 rural areas this year. The number of areas remaining to be completed is limited and the board favour a gradual tapering off so as to avoid sudden dislocation of employment, including employment in industries catering for the supply of equipment. This matter is still the subject of discussion with the board.
There is no separate advance from the Exchequer for rural electrification, which forms part of the general activity of the board.
Am I to understand that what the Minister really means is that there will be some reduction in the development of the rural electrification extension? Is that really what the Minister means? I am not quite sure.
So far as rural electrification is concerned, I indicated what the position is, namely, that the board hope to complete 80 areas this year. The board said they are now coming towards the end of the scheme and would like the end of the scheme better organised than they feel it will be if they go full steam ahead. That is based on their own views. The better organisation of the scheme will provide the maximum employment over a longer period because you have people employed by the firms which supply the goods. They have asked, therefore, that there should be some organised tapering off in the rural electrification scheme and in that respect they say that the matter is under consideration. The Deputy will be glad to know that in the year ending March, 1954, the total cost of the rural electrification scheme was £2,600,000. It is expected to be very much more than that when this year's scheme is completed.
Mr. Lemass
Did not the Minister state on his own Estimate that the board would complete 100 areas in this year?
So far as the board is concerned, I have not stopped them completing 100 areas.
Mr. Lemass
What did stop them?
The year is not yet finished.
Mr. Lemass
Did not the Minister state that he hoped to finish 100 areas this year?
I think the Deputy ought to find some consolation in this fact——
Mr. Lemass
Did the Minister not say that they would finish 100 areas this year?
Let the Minister answer the question in his own way if the Deputy does not mind. In the last year in which the Fianna Fáil Government was in office the number of areas completed was 60. That was the highest they ever completed. The number this year, if it is 80, will be 33 per cent. higher than the last Government's highest ever.
Mr. Lemass
The board stated in their report that up to 1953, they proceeded at the rate of 50 areas; that in that year they stepped up their programme to 100 areas a year and were proceeding at that rate of development ever since. What stopped them this year? What brought down the rate of development by 20 per cent.?
The Deputy is indebted to his imagination for his facts.
Mr. Lemass
They are published in the board's report.
That is not so. The board completed 60 areas in 1954 and have never reached 100 areas so far.
What was the decision in 1954?
Mr. Lemass
What has altered the position since the Minister made the statement on his own Estimate? He said the board would complete 100 areas and he now says 80 areas. What is the reason the board is unable to carry out their original programme?
The board have got no direction from me——
Mr. Lemass
I did not say they had.
——not to carry out the 100 areas.
Mr. Lemass
What is the cause?
I will tell that to the Deputy when the discussions with the board have been completed.
Is it not a fact that the Minister stated in this House that the E.S.B. had too much current over and above the amount that could be consumed? How can he reconcile that with the fact that the E.S.B. have reduced their development programme now at a time when they have more than enough current for consumption?
There is no question of reducing the development programme.
Is it not a fact that the Minister told me personally in this House six months ago that the rate of development was being stepped up each year until 100 areas would be taken on? The figures given by the Minister now for this year are in respect of 80 areas. Is that not a reduction or does the Minister know mathematics?
So far as the board is concerned, it has expressed the view that better organisation and better employment would result by a tapering off of the rural electrification scheme. If the scheme is rushed to the end and stops suddenly, hundreds of skilled workers who are now getting employment in the production of electrical equipment for the rural electrification scheme may be catapulted into unemployment. The board is concerned about that. The firms making the equipment are concerned about that and the trade unions who cater for these workers are concerned about that. I think a discussion with these people is likely to be much more fruitful than listening to vapourings in this House.
Mr. Lemass
How many workers will be catapulted into unemployment this year because of the curtailment of the rural electrification scheme?
How many have been?
I cannot say.
Mr. Lemass
Have the board not decided to cut down the rural electrification scheme by 25 per cent.?
They have considered the matter in the light of the facts I have given. They will do 33 per cent. more this year than they ever did when Deputy Lemass was in office.
May I ask the Chair if it is in order for a Minister, replying to a question put to him by a Deputy, to refer to that question as "vapourings"?
The Deputy has got very sensitive in his old age.
We do not want that sort of gutter-snipe language in this House.
Question No. 34.