asked the Minister for Transport and Power if there is any immediate hope for the provision of rural electrification for the townland of Coola, Kildinan, County Cork, for which some 17 families have been making repeated demands.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification.
17.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that the townland of Coola is in the board's Kildinan rural area which is not scheduled for recanvass under the post development scheme for at least two years.
Would the Minister agree that it is completely contrary to common justice to allow so many people to wait so long for rural electricity? In view of the obvious fact that modern farming cannot run without electricity will he now instruct the ESB to give immediate and urgent priority to this most important matter?
A number of areas have not, as yet, been connected up under the recanvass. If the Minister were to give instructions to the ESB to devote their attention to that area other areas would, consequentially, be neglected. It is a five-year development programme which the ESB have worked out in the best interests of trying to achieve the aims of having the whole country supplied within a given time. Any instructions which would upset this plan would have an overall detrimental effect. While I can appreciate the requirements in any one area the requirements are similar in many others.
I readily admit that there are other areas besides those specified in my question which are equally important but would the House not agree that provision of rural electricity where it has not been provided up to now is an urgent and dire need?
I agree.
Will the Minister then instruct the ESB to give top priority to this?
I have just stated the reasons why I could not do this.
But in view of the fact that the Minister so readily agrees with me will he now take action?
I agree that it is essential to provide rural electricity where a supply does not exist at present but there is a five-year re-development programme and any upsetting of that plan would have a very bad consequential effect generally.
Is it not a fact that the ESB have not sufficient money?
It is not quite that. If they had all the money required immediately, the staff necessary to cover all the areas that have to be supplied within the next five years would not immediately be available. There is a combination of circumstances.
Would the Minister not agree——
The Deputy has asked three supplementary questions already.
I shall be very brief. Will the Minister agree that no matter what the priority is of the rural schemes which the ESB have on their files, there is nothing more urgent than to give electricity to those who have not yet got it?
This holds for all those who require electricity.
In other words, the Minister is against sin.
18.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power when it is proposed to extend ESB supply to the districts of Aughagower, Knappagh, Drummin, Cushlough and Erriss, County Mayo.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that the townlands in question are in the Knappagh rural area which has already been canvassed under the board's planned post development scheme. For construction purposes the area has been divided into two parts. Work will commence in about two weeks time in the part that includes Knappagh, Drummin and Cushlough. When development of the first part has been completed in about nine months time work will commence in the second section which includes Aughagower and Erriss.
Does the Minister appreciate that this is very beautiful country and that many people in that area are very anxious to develop the farm tourist scheme and in those circumstances would he be good enough to make representations to have the Aughagower area linked immediately with the scheme it is proposed to undertake in a fortnight's time in view of the help it would be to the small farmers in this region?
Is the Deputy suggesting that in exchange we leave out Knappagh?
Do the lot together.
It is in the operation of doing the lot together that the ESB are in a position to promise to go ahead with Aughagower in nine months time. It is an overall plan. It is a similar problem.
Special attention should be given to the west.