asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the cost of a unit of electricity in mid-June 1973 and on 24 November 1980.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electricity Cost.
26.
It is presumed that the Deputy is referring to a domestic unit of electricity. In mid-June 1973 a domestic unit of electricity cost 0.95p and on 24 November 1980 the unit cost 5.001p.
The question submitted by me has been altered. The purpose of submitting the question was to elicit from the Minister the increase in the cost of a unit of domestic electricity. When the tenants of Carronreddy Estate in Tipperary town were appointed to the tenancy of their houses, those houses were electrically heated. They have no solid fuel heating in them.
Will the Deputy ask a question, please?
This is an attempt to bring home to this Minister and other Ministers, for whom I have other questions down relating to this particular estate——
This is a statement. A question, please.
The Minister informed me that in June 1973 the cost of a unit of electricity was .95p and now it is over 5p per unit, an increase of well over 500 per cent.
Will the Deputy please ask a question. That is a long statement. The Deputy has not asked a question yet.
I was giving the Minister the background to the question. What does the Minister intend to do about this ever-spiralling increase in the cost of one unit of domestic electricity?
I do not want to be discourteous to the Deputy but I am answering the question which I got. He said he put down another question but that is a matter for some other Minister. I would like to refer to the reply which I gave.
(Interruptions.)
I would like to state that the increase in the price of a unit of domestic electricity from 1973 to 1977 was 189 per cent and from 1977 to date is 82 per cent. As the Deputy knows the price of fuel has been the greatest single factor in this situation.
Is the Minister aware that three years ago his Minister promised, vis-á-vis the manifesto, that the accounting system of the ESB would be amended so as to reduce the cost of electricity? What amendment in this regard has been effected with the purpose of reaching that stated objective?
I referred in detail to that matter in the House the other evening.
Has the cost been reduced?
It increased by 189 per cent when the Coalition were in office.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.