asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the great hardship suffered by those living in areas where rural electrification has not yet been provided, the ESB will supply the service to these areas as a matter of great urgency.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification.
11.
I am informed by the ESB that it is their policy to allocate the resources available for connecting new consumers under the rural electrification post-development scheme on the basis of an orderly programme, planned and executed on a rational basis. Only in this way can the overall cost, and the cost of individual connections, be kept within reasonable limits. This necessarily involves a waiting period, varying with location of applicants, until their areas are reached under the programme.
The Minister will recall receiving a deputation from Cork County Council about 12 months ago when certain suggestions were made. Has anything been done about them since?
There has been a meeting down in the area.
That was immediately after the deputation was received.
That is right. At the present time discussions are going on with regard to the whole rural electrification capital programme. A Bill will come before the House within the next month or two when all this can be debated. The Bill is designed to ensure that we finalise the rural electrification programme for the next five years.