asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he is aware that the ESB, having failed through an industrial dispute to send accounts to consumers for many months, are now threatening to cut off consumers' electricity if arrears, payment of which has not been sought during the strike, are not paid within a few days; and that this policy has been confirmed as the official policy of the board; and whether he will take steps to ensure that where consumers have not been asked to pay arrears owing to the strike they will be allowed a reasonable time of at least several weeks before being deprived of their supply for non-payment of arrears.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ESB Consumers' Arrears.
13.
Section 99 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927, provides that, whenever a person fails to pay charges due to the ESB for electricity, the board may cut off his supply and may, until such charges and the expenses incurred in cutting off such supply are paid, discontinue the supply of electricity to him. This provision gives to the board the power that is essential to the carrying on of their business on a commercial basis but it leaves entirely to the board, as a matter of day-to-day administration, the extent to which, and the manner in which, this power should be exercised.
The electricity accounts which the board are at present issuing to consumers cover electricity supplied only up to January, 1970. I understand from the ESB that among these accounts there is a very limited number which include arrears which were payable before the dispute began and which have not yet been paid despite numerous reminders. It is these cases which incur the risk of being cut off if payment is delayed. I understand from the board, however, that even in these cases the board are prepared to consider pleas of serious individual hardship and I would suggest to the Deputy that if he is aware of such cases he should advise the consumers concerned to go to their local ESB office and explain the circumstances; and I am assured that any genuine case will receive every sympathetic hearing.
Far from that being the case, I have particulars here to the effect that a bill was furnished for the first time, after eight months or so, in respect of a small sum of arrears; that that bill was followed, within about five days, by a man at the door to cut off the electricity. When the consumer concerned approached the ESB and attempted to deal with the matter with them, he was informed by a senior official—who had, in the meantime, checked with the board—that it was board policy, which could not be changed, and that no local office could change it. Would the Minister ensure that people are given adequate time to pay bills of this kind? If a bill is outstanding for a long time, then, after its first presentation after months, if it is to be followed, within days, by action of the kind I have described, it is objectionable, to say the least of it.
If the Deputy's statements are accurate, I would deprecate it. If he will give me the particulars, I shall take up the matter.
Is the Minister aware that many people are suffering from treatment of the kind mentioned by Deputy FitzGerald? It is the rule, rather than the exception, that the arrears bill is followed very shortly afterwards by a visit by a representative of the ESB and cutting-off of electricity supply if payment is not immediately made. In itself, this is bad enough. The new bill, due to arrive in May, will also contain a certain amount of——
We cannot have a discussion.
I agree. However, will the Minister——
I will look into the matter. I should like particulars of individual cases that come to the notice of Deputies.