asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that tenants of the new Ballymun housing estate consider bills issued to them by the gas company to be exorbitant and a breach of an agreement which was made by the tenants when they took possession of their houses; if he will state the circumstances under which the gas company's tender to supply heat and cooking power for each house was accepted; and what was the estimated charge for each house.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gas Bills in Ballymun Estate.
72.
I have seen press reports on this subject but I am not aware of the terms of the individual agreements between the gas company and the tenants. The decision of the corporation to have gas-fired warm air heating and hot-water supply installed in the houses was taken in the light of a number of relevant factors apart from fuel costs and was not, therefore, based on tenders for the supply of heating and cooking power. Tenants of all the dwellings in the project have, individually, the choice of gas or electricity for cooking. The estimated annual cost of gas to give full heating to living-room, selective heating for bedrooms and a basic supply of hot water, with normal cooking, was £40.