asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what consideration, if any, was given to rural electrification in County Donegal under the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1945.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether the Electricity Supply Board has completed plans for the extension of electricity supply to County Donegal from the national network; and, if so, if he will state (a) when the work will be undertaken; (b) the estimated cost of the work; (c) whether any part of the cost will be subsidised from public funds, and (d) how long it will take to complete the work.
I propose, with the permission of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that the Rossnowlagh area and the villages of Ballintra and Laghy have been supplied under the rural electrification scheme. I am also informed that it has not been possible to supply other rural areas in County Donegal owing to the fact that the current at present available to the board for the county is limited and is sufficient only to meet the existing level of consumption.
The Electricity Supply Board further inform me that, in view of the development of the Erne and the construction of the associated main transmission lines, it will be possible to build a 38 K.V. line from Ballyshannon to Letterkenny, and that it will be possible to undertake development along the south coast of Donegal towards Killybegs and Kilcar. These extensions will enable the development of rural areas in these regions to be undertaken if the returns are sufficiently good to justify supply. The survey work, preparatory to the actual erection of the 38 K.V. line, has already commenced and every effort is being made to have the portion of the line between Ballyshannon and Donegal available for service by the coming winter. In the meantime, the rural areas west of Donegal as far as Kilcar will be canvassed by the board's staff with a view to supplying as many of those areas as possible before next Christmas subject, of course, to the canvass results comparing favourably with those of rural areas in other parts of the country. The estimated cost of the 38 K.V. line from Ballyshannon to Letterkenny, including a sub-station at Letterkenny, is £60,000. It is not possible to estimate the cost of giving supply to the rural areas under the rural electrification scheme until the canvass of the areas has been completed and the areas, and the number of potential consumers, have been determined. Subsidy at the rate of 50 per cent. of the capital cost of extensions under the rural electrification scheme will be payable but the actual amount cannot be stated at this stage. It is not possible to say how long it will take to complete the extensions contemplated in County Donegal. The work will go on for some years but the Electricity Supply Board inform me that the 38 K.V. line to Letterkenny will, it is hoped, be completed by December, 1951.