asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether the accounts of the Ballaghaderreen electricity undertaking were audited by one of the auditors of his Department before the vesting of the undertaking in the Electricity Supply Board; and, if so, if he will state what sums were certified by the auditor as a set off under Section 39 (7) of the Electricity Supply Act, 1927.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballaghaderreen Electricity Undertaking.
The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part the provisions of Section 39 (7) of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927, apply only to the amount raised by means of rates in aid of the undertaking up to the 31st March, 1927, and the amount ascertained to be so raised within that period and applicable to the purposes of the undertaking after allowing for the cost of public lighting is £1,367 3s. 1d. No formal certificate is required to be given by the auditor under the Act of 1927.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, would he examine the question as to whether the allowance for public lighting is not straining the terms of the statute under which the auditor purports to make his calculations, in view of the fact that no charge had been made by the undertaking for public lighting during the 20 years of its existence? The attempt of the Electricity Supply Board now is to fix an arbitrary sum that ought to have been charged, and to set that off against their liability for recoupment to the local authority in rates. Will the Parliamentary Secretary look into that?
I will.