asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will consider abolishing the ESB special service charge in counties along the western seaboard.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ESB Special Service Charge.
3.
Under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927, the ESB are required to fix their charges for electricity so that, taking one year with another, revenue will be sufficient to cover all proper charges against it. Where a supply of electricity is provided in any area the Board are precluded from giving preferential treatment to any consumer in that area.
I recognise, however, that, despite the generous State subsidy, some special service charges are extremely high. The whole question is at present being reviewed to see whether any relief of general application can be granted but, at this stage, I cannot say what improvement, if any, can be introduced.
I am glad to get a ray of hope from the Parliamentary Secretary as far as the special service charge is concerned. Many people, particularly people in Galway, have asked me to approach the Department of Transport and Power regarding this problem. I have done so but with little success. If there is new legislation pending whereby these people could get an electricity supply without the special service charge, I would appeal to the Minister and to the Parliamentary Secretary to expedite such legislation as much as possible.
The Deputy may not make a speech at Question Time. He may put a question.
The fact that a person lives in a remote area should not preclude him from getting an electricity supply at the same charge as applies in the case of a person living beside the main road.
The Deputy may not continue his speech at Question Time.
May he hope that this will be done quicker than the drainage of the Shannon?
This problem is not peculiar to any specific part of the country and, as I have said, it is a matter which has certainly been engaging the attention of the Department and we are hoping to be able to do something about it.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say when?
If I could have said when, I should already have told the Deputy when.
Does the Minister intend to introduce legislation to abolish this service charge?
As I stated in my reply, the matter is at present being reviewed.
When will the Parliamentary Secretary come to some conclusion?
When he drains the Shannon.
When does the Parliamentary Secretary expect to have the result of the review to which he has referred?
Reasonably shortly.
When exactly does the Parliamentary Secretary expect to have the result of this review?
The position at the moment is that 86 per cent of house-holders are supplied with electricity. That is quite a major step forward in the 25 years since the inception of rural electrification. From that point of view, we can be assured that progress has been made. It is as a result of a statement made by both the Minister and myself that this particular matter is being reviewed that these questions are being asked. It was that statement that prompted these questions.
(Interruptions.)
May I remind the Parliamentary Secretary that the former Taoiseach in a pre-election speech in 1957 promised that, if he got back into office, he would abolish the special service charge? That was ten years ago.
Question No. 4.
The former Taoiseach promised to improve the situation and this was done and further improvements are at present being considered.