asked the Minister for Transport and Power the action he proposes to take in order to ensure that houses wired by persons other than those who are members of the ETU will be connected by the ESB.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electricity Connections.
5.
I am informed by the ESB that those houses which had been wired by persons other than those who are members of the ETU are now being connected to the electricity supply in the majority of cases. It is hoped that following on an examination of the position which is at present being carried out the remaining houses will also be connected.
Can the Minister give the House an assurance that people will not continue to be victimised in this way because the work has been carried out by people other than members of a particular union?
The houses are now connected and negotiations are going on and the balance of the work will be carried out as quickly as possible.
6.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power when he proposes to implement the recommendations of the Fletcher Report with particular regard to the findings regarding new connections to houses in rural areas.
Some of the recommendations in the Fletcher Report which relate to the internal administration of the ESB have been implemented or are in the process of implementation by the board. Proposals for a revised system of capital contributions for new connections and other recommendations which would require Government approval or new legislation are under examination.
The proposals for capital contributions recommended by Fletcher provide for a standard charge of £50, unless the actual cost of the connection exceeds £100, in which case the contribution would be the actual cost less £50. I would point out that these terms would be less favourable to the consumer than the terms already available to rural consumers under the planned post-development scheme and would not significantly change the consumer's contribution in the case of high cost connections outside the scheme.
I feel the Minister must not be aware of the frightful hardship on rural dwellers who are anxious to connect with the ESB for the first time. I can quote him cases——
Would the Deputy ask a question, please?
I will come to the question. I think it is necessary to make the Minister aware of certain information.
We cannot have a statement.
I regret that any time I stand up we seem to rub one another the wrong way.
That is because the Deputy is not in order.
Does the Minister intend helping rural dwellers who are now faced with a penal charge, in some cases up to £700, before they can have electricity? People who are building a new house have never got the opportunity of availing of subsidised terms if time has passed them by. The Minister is furthering a policy of denuding rural areas.
The Deputy is continuing to make a speech.
(Interruptions.)
That man at the back is an expert on electricity. We know what he is going to do with the itinerants as far as electricity is concerned. I have one more question.
May I answer the first question before the Deputy asks another?
That would be helpful.
We could not hear the answer.
I am sorry about that. The cost of bringing electricity to rural dwellers under the rural electrification scheme is being subsidised to the tune of £10 million over a five-year period which expires on 31st March next year. This is the second chance most rural communities have had of getting subsidised electricity and until that scheme finishes I do not think the Government should introduce another scheme which would overlap with the present one.
With regard to consumers who are anxious to get a connection to a new house for the first time, would the Minister not ask the ESB to take this huge capital charge in instalments and spread it over a period? This has been offered to the ESB but is not acceptable to them. Does he not agree that this charge raises the cost of a new house for people in a rural area entirely beyond their limits?
I am not sure what are the objections of the ESB to such a scheme but I shall certainly undertake to discuss it with them. I think there might be something in that idea.
No. 7.
Arising out of the Minister's reply——
I am sorry, Deputy. We cannot dwell overlong on any question.