asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware that some applicants for ESB connection have been informed that connection to their houses cannot be made before the financial year 1972-73; and if he can do anything to remedy this situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Electrification.
4.
The Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1968, authorised the increase to £50 million on the expenditure which the ESB may incur on extending electricity to rural areas. The increase of the limit was to enable the Board to complete the rural electrification post-development scheme and also to go back over the areas already covered by the scheme. Thus, all householders would have an opportunity of taking supply at the improved terms which came into effect last year and which involved considerable reduction in the high special service charges payable by some householders. When introducing the Bill, I explained that, in carrying out the post-development scheme, the ESB were recanvassing the country in a planned sequence of areas. This ensures orderly development and keeps costs to a minimum. I also indicated that the Board expected that it would take the nearly five years— until 1973—to offer supply again to all unconnected householders in the country.
In fact, the improved terms have proved so popular that many more householders than had been expected are now taking supply. The ESB are doing their utmost to cope with the increased number of acceptances. It means increased annual capital expenditure and the training of additional personnel. They have increased their budget for rural electrification and have also increased their rate of connection but, even so, progress of the schemes, in terms of areas completed, is now behind schedule. While the scheme will be completed in most of the country by 1973 there may be some areas where completion of the scheme will take longer.
I was hoping that the Minister himself might answer this question because portion of the area affected is now in the territory which he will be representing for a short while.
The territory in which he will be a candidate shortly.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say if any priority will be given to people who applied some years ago but who, because of the high charges, were unable to accept and who are now anxious to have connection made or would the Parliamentary Secretary say if it is staff shortage that is causing the delay, not up in the mountains or on islands, but in places like the middle of County Meath where people have been told they cannot get connection until 1972-73?
The Deputy asked me before if any special arrangements could be made to cater for people who had been offered electricity previously but could not take it due to the high service charge. The incidence of inquiries and acceptance on a nationwide basis in this regard has been quite enormous. From that point of view, in each area where canvassing or recanvassing is going on it does entail the giving of a supply of electricity to quite a large number of these people who did get this opportunity before, but it has to be done on a planned scale over the period.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that those people who applied and could not take supply because of the high charges are not to blame, that they were cut out because of the way in which the ESB carried out the canvass? There were pockets all over the place and these people were left out. Can he say now if these people will be connected, or do the ESB intend to carry out an entirely unnecessary recanvass in areas where all the people have applied for service? Can the Parliamentary Secretary say why they should have to wait until a recanvass is carried out, or is it just stalling? Is there some reason why the ESB feel they would not like to go ahead as fast as people want them to do?
No. There is no underhand reason. In any given area it is very hard to imagine, as the Deputy has pointed out, that everybody who is unconnected in that area has already applied for connection.
Everybody who is interested applied.
Yes, there are a number of people who are interested when the time comes for a recanvass but who at a given time would not have made application.
So the others must wait because some people are too lazy to make application?
No. Because there are still 60,000 houses in the country that want electricity, and the cheapest possible way and the obvious way to supply them is to do it in a planned and programmed way.
The Parliamentary Secretary is talking about islands and mountains; I am talking about the middle of the country.
60,000 people are awaiting supply.
The Parliamentary Secretary had better ask the Minister about it.