asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware of the recent breach of faith by the Electricity Supply Board with rural consumers by their ten per cent. increase in ground rents, and the dire effect this will have on the poor of the congested areas; and if he will take immediate steps to prevent such increase operating.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electricity Charges in Rural Areas.
46.
The Electricity Supply Board has recently introduced a general increase in its charges, including fixed charges, for all consumers. This increase is designed to yield an overall increase of about 5 per cent. in revenue and is required to meet increased costs and a deficiency on the Rural Revenue Account which amounted to £880,000 in the year ended 31st March, 1960.
The Board's general conditions relating to electricity supply, which every consumer accepts in making his application for supply, provide for variation of charges and the allegation of breach of faith is, therefore, entirely without foundation.
The increase in fixed charges alone for rural consumers amounts to an average of 2/- per consumer per two months period. For the general cottage-sized consumer the increase is less than 2d. per week and for the average-sized farm premises is of the order of 2/10d. per two months. Moreover, there is an offset to this increase by the reduction from 80 to 60 in the number of units charged at the higher price. Any rural consumer using between 80 and 360 units per two months will be saving 1/2d. per two months period on the unit charges previously applicable.
How does the Minister relate this new increase in E.S.B. charges to any particular item in the Board's cost of production? How does the Minister single out the rural electrification account as the source of any burden it is bearing which this increase is designed to meet? Would it not be equally true to say that the present Government's policy of duplicating production facilities by requiring two stations to be built in every case where one would suffice and the capital required to be serviced as a result of that decision are equally responsible for the increased charges now being made?
It is completely untrue to say that the capacity of E.S.B. is duplicated under Government policy. That is a completely erroneous statement. The capacity is sufficient only for the needs of the moment and consumption is growing up at a greater rate than was anticipated when the proposed new stations were planned at a recent date.
I have emphasised the effect on the rural consumers partly because the complaints addressed to me are mostly by people in rural areas and secondly, as a result of discontinuing the subsidy on rural electrification between 1955 and 1958 there was placed on the Board the obligation of paying a sum of £529,000 per year representing the interest and sinking fund on capital which was not advanced in the period of office of the Government of which the Deputy was a member.
Is that not the purest of fraudulent eye-wash? Is that not the policy of Fianna Fáil—to kick the rural community whenever anybody is to be kicked, and kick the farmers all over the country?
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy's Government took the subsidy off.
Coalition efficiency.
Some day the farmers will wake up to you.