asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that there are a large number of county council cottages in County Kerry which are wired for electricity but which cannot be connected by the ESB because neither the council nor the tenants can afford to pay the high special charges in these exceptional cases; and whether he is prepared to make a special grant available or to sanction the raising of a loan by the council to defray expenditure on the provision of electricity for the tenants concerned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electricity Supply for Kerry Cottages.
23.
A proposal was submitted to my Department by the council for approval in principle to charging the cost of providing electricity services to nine rural cottages in isolated areas to an approved loan. This proposal is at present the subject of correspondence with the council and a decision on it will be given by me as soon as possible. There are no funds at my disposal out of which a grant could be made towards the cost of the proposed electricity services.
(Cavan): Might I suggest to the Minister that he could solve this problem by using his influence with his colleague, the Minister for Transport and Power, to get him to drop these inequitable special charges which are causing frightful hardship in rural Ireland?
Is the Minister aware that some of those cottages belong to old age pensioners who are entitled to free electricity but who cannot get the electricity because of these charges?
This is not a matter for my Department.
Will the Minister consider asking local authorities to examine this aspect of the matter before the cottages are built?
The question relates to County Kerry.
Would the Minister start off with County Kerry and examine this matter before the cottages are built? Very often cottages are provided by local authorities for a rent of only 7/6, only to be told that electricity, because of the charges being requested, is not provided. This is a ridiculous situation.
Is the Minister aware that this proposal is before his Department for a long time and that Kerry County Council have been asking to have something done for a number of years? There are about seven or nine cases involved here. Some of them are old age pensioners who are entitled to free light. In fact, there is a special charge of £5 19s. We want the Minister to give sanction immediately so that those old people can enjoy free light.
I have no responsibility for the special charges.
We have asked you to sanction the loan because we have asked the ESB to see that those people are connected. We asked the Department many months ago to give us sanction.
We need all the money for the referendum. Is the Minister proposing a change in regard to that?
The money for the referendum will be quickly recovered.
(Interruptions.)
As I told the Deputy, the question of the loan will be decided by me as soon as possible.