asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will postpone the public inquiry by the Prices Advisory Body into the application for an increase in the price of electricity until the report of the E.S.B. for the year ended 31st March, 1956, becomes available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electricity Price Increase Application.
The E.S.B. originally proposed to apply increased charges as from the billing dates next following the 1st June, 1956, and sought my concurrence in the proposal. I decided that the proposed increase in charges should be made the subject of a Public Inquiry by the Prices Advisory Body.
The Public Inquiry has been arranged for Friday next, 29th June, 1956. This has been publicly announced and has been notified to the various interested parties.
It is for the Prices Advisory Body to satisfy themselves that all the information they require for the purposes of their inquiry is made available to them, and I see no reason which would warrant asking the Prices Advisory Body to postpone the Public Inquiry.