asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will reconsider applications for rural electrification in the Ogonolloe, County Clare, area which were received after the closing date of February, 1975, because of the 18 months' delay which elapsed before the ESB placed some poles in the area; and why one young married man (name supplied) has been requested to pay £530 approximately even though he is on the main road and the line is passing by his house.
Written Answers. - County Clare Rural Electrification.
65.
I am informed by the ESB that advertisements inviting interested parties in the board's Ogonolloe rural area to apply for connection to the electricity supply under the final phase of the subsidised rural electrification scheme were published in the local papers for three consecutive weeks in February-March, 1975. The closing date for receipt of applications was 22nd March, 1975. The board say that in order to make supply available as soon as possible and at minimum cost they could not consider applications for subsidised supply received after that date.
An application for supply to a new house was received by the board on 1st July, 1976, from the person in question. As the application was received after the closing date for the subsidised scheme the terms quoted were unsubsidised and required the payment of £530. This sum, the board says, is directly related to the cost of the work involved in extending supply to the applicant's house.
Subsidised development work in the Ogonolloe area commenced in August-September, 1976, and is still in progress.