Michael Creed
Question:15 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Energy if he will revise the guidelines surrounding qualification for grant aid under the rural electrification scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification Scheme.
I do not propose to revise the guidelines for qualification for grantaid under the farm electrification grants scheme.
I am disappointed at the Minister's response. I tabled the question as a result of a number of encounters with constituents regarding this scheme, and I am sure the Minister empathises with these people. First, an increasing number of part-time farmers are excluded from benefit under this scheme, and second, a large number of non-farmers wish to reside in rural areas but the cost of installing electrical facilities is prohibitive. I would have thought that the Minister could consider introducing some grant aid, perhaps even on a means tested basis, for certain categories of people, particularly those to whom I referred.
As the Deputy knows, this scheme which was sponsored by the EC was introduced to assist those involved in the agriculture industry and living in disadvantaged areas where the cost of installing electricity to the house or to the farm enterprise was substantial. The grant was a generous one, covering four-fifths of the cost of installing the electricity. The scheme was designed to help and promote those whose principal source of income was farming, and any person, 50 per cent of whose income was from another source, would not qualify. That rule has been in operation since the scheme was introduced.
The Deputy may know that the Community scheme ceased last year and due to special measures which I took, to which the Minister for Finance and the Government agreed, the scheme has been continued, funded solely from sources within this country — the Department and the ESB. It is designed to help those in farming who are without electricity but need it to improve their farm enterprise. The scheme is now operated without any assistance from the Community. It would not be possible for me to extend it beyond the limits for which it was originally introduced. I am merely continuing what was a good EC scheme but which is now totally Irish-funded. It is not possible in present circumstances to concede the Deputy's point. There will always be special cases but there has to be a cut-off point. This is a fair scheme geared to help those in agriculture. These people can have an off-farm income but it must not exceed 50 per cent of the gross income.