Vol. 200 No. 7
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether any provision has been, or is about to be, made for connecting forty householders with the ESB line which is running adjacent to the main road between Morley's Bridge, Kilgarvan, and Coolnacullen, Clonkeen post office, Killarney, County Kerry.
12.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether the ESB have made any recent survey of Incheese, Kilgarvan area, County Kerry, with the intention of connecting thirty-two householders; and, if so, when work will start.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 12 together.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that Incheese and the area between Morley's Bridge and Coolnacullen form two very uneconomic pockets between the Board's Kilgarvan and Glenflesk rural areas. Supply can be made available to these pockets if requested but, because of their remoteness from the nearest point of supply, the householders concerned would have to pay high special service charges.
The Board will re-examine the position of these pockets from time to time in the light of changing circumstances. In the meantime, however, the householders concerned may find bottled gas an acceptable subsititute. A grant of £10 per household towards the installation of the bottled gas in houses whose charges for connection to the electricity supply would be more than double the normal fixed charge related to the size of the premises is available from my Department.
The line referred to which passes Morley's Bridge and Coolnacullen is a 38 kilovolt line from which direct supply to houses is not possible.
Is the Minister aware that in the case of Incheese, 32 householders out of the total of 35 are willing to take the supply from the ESB? This installation would be of great economic advantage as the Dairy Disposal Board have a new scheme of giving out sows to farmers for the rearing of bonhams. There are a number of farmers in the area looking for milking machines and one farmer there is about to start up a grinding mill. If these things are taken into consideration, it should be economic for the ESB to make the installations and I would be thankful if the Minister would do something in the matter.
I will ask the ESB to make sure that they have the potential consumption of electricity in the area fully up to date.
11.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power the total number of rural householders in South Kerry who are still without a supply of electricity; and what action is proposed by the ESB to afford to unconnected householders concerned an opportunity of accepting a supply at the most favourable terms now available under the revised subsidy arrangements.
I am informed by the Electricity Supply Board that out of approximately 12,000 households in South Kerry, some 4,000 are still without electricity.
The Board's Caherdaniel rural area is at present being connected to the electricity supply and the Tuosist rural area will be connected at an early date.
All other rural areas in South Kerry have been developed and I am informed that any householder or group of householders in those areas will be quoted terms on the basis of the revised subsidy on application to the Board's district manager, Tralee.
