asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he will arrange for the ESB to raise a loan themselves to defray the cost of supplying with electricity all new houses in rural areas in County Kerry, without demanding capital contributions of up to £1,000 in some cases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Rural Electrification.
7.
The capital expenditure which the Electricity Supply Board may incur in any year on the rural electrification programme is, in common with other capital expenditure in the public sector, subject to the limitations imposed by the overall national demand for and the available supply of such capital. In the current financial year the ESB are restricted to a capital expenditure of £3 million on the rural programme. The money for this programme is provided in part by borrowings by the ESB and in part by the Exchequer contribution by way of subsidy towards rural connections.
The ESB must work within this limit and are carrying out the scheme on an area by area basis so as to keep the cost of the work to the lowest possible level and thus ensure that the maximum number of connections are made with the capital available. The board are, on occasion, pressed to make connection out of turn and, in cases where this is physically possible and where it will not divert staff from planned work, the board will offer to extend supply but only on payment by the applicant of a substantial contribution to the cost of the work. If, therefore, some rural householders wish to be connected out of turn, they will have to provide the capital themselves initially. Otherwise, some one or more householders who are already in the planned scheme must lose their place until a later date. Persons who make capital contributions in these circumstances are reimbursed when the planned scheme reaches their areas.
Could the Minister tell the House the number of applications the ESB have had on hands, with deposits, for several months in which the people cannot get connections?
The question, Deputy, relates to County Kerry.
I am talking about the country as a whole.
The question does not relate to the country as a whole.
My question would relate to Kerry as well.
Could the Minister tell us how many people in Kerry have paid the deposit and are still awaiting connection?
I have not got that information.
Is the Minister telling the House that if people are prepared to pay the full cost initially, getting a refund later, they will get connection straightaway?
Yes, that is what I said, with this proviso: they will get connection where it will not divert staff from the planned work.
That, of course, lets the ESB out completely; you could be waiting for six months.