asked the Minister for Transport and Power why the ESB will not give a connection to 25 houses in the Kilmessan area of County Meath, which are in a compact group, and some of which have been wired for a number of years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ESB Supply to Meath Houses.
22.
Initial development of areas for rural electrification is now almost completed. For post-development work in these areas the level of subsidy was increased under the Electricity Supply (Amendment) Act, 1962. In order to carry out post-development work as economically as possible and so reduce or obviate the payment of special service charges the ESB are proceeding on a planned basis. Within each main district, areas are canvassed in turn and post-development follows. I am informed that it may be up to two years before planned post-development work can be carried out in the Kilmessan area.
Is the Minister aware that, because of the existence of a number of people in outlying districts who never expressed a desire to have the electricity connected, a compact group of 25 people within six miles of the town of Navan have been deferred indefinitely? Does the Minister not consider a group of that size should be dealt with irrespective of what happens in the outlying areas, which, as I say, may never be connected at all?
I am not aware that is the situation. This work is going to take a number of years to complete. I fully support the ESB in the decision they made, which they announced and which I encouraged: that they should treat this post-development work as far as possible as if they were beginning developments in order to gather a large number of people in one area to take electricity and to do the work at the most economical rate in order to keep any special service charges down to a minimum. It may be in this case this particular area would not connect with a rotational scheme and would take some time to reach.
I can excuse the Minister because he does not know anything about this particular area. Does he not agree that where there are compact groups amounting to sizeable villages they should be dealt with as they come along and not be kept back until such time as outlying areas express a desire to have electric current? Is he aware that this area has been canvassed three times within the past ten years and that 25 out of 27 people have given positive replies?
In order to satisfy the Deputy I will ask the ESB whether it is a fact there is some special reason, other than a decision to take Kilmessan because of planned development. If that decision relates to waiting for people to come in from outside, I shall suggest to the ESB they should not apply special reasons but should go on general lines. That does not mean, however, that Kilmessan can be taken more quickly. It may still on a rotational basis take two years to reach.