asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of field workers engaged on rural electrification schemes in October, 1956, and October, 1957, respectively.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Field Workers on Rural Electrification.
I am informed by the E.S.B. that the latest date for which returns are available is 30th September, 1957. On that date, 1,437 manual workers were employed on the rural electrification scheme as compared with 2,414 on the corresponding date last year. The Deputy will recollect that subsequent to September, 1956, the rate of development under the rural electrification scheme was considerably reduced, the number of areas completed in the second half of 1956-57 being 26 as compared with 56 in the first half.
Does the Minister conveniently have any estimate of how many rural areas remain to be electrified?
Roughly about a couple of hundred.