New Laois business has no electricity after paying over €15,000 to ESB
Long delays in providing electricity connections in Laois have been repeatedly criticised at council meetings. Photo: ESB Networks file image
A NEW business that would bring 15 jobs to Laois still has no electricity, three months after the owner paid more than €15,000 to ESB Networks.
The frustrated businessman will probably pull the plug on the venture with the loss of much-needed jobs, a council meeting was told.
Cllr Aidan Mullins said he was contacted by a well-established businessman, who already has offices in Kildare and outside the country, who wants to start a new enterprise in Ballybrittas.
The operation, which requires three-phase electricity, would provide 15 jobs immediately with “more to come”.
The Independent councillor said: “He paid between €15,000 and €20,000 three months ago but he has still not been connected.
“Here’s a man that wants to start a business and create jobs. Three months in and he cannot get basic infrastructure. Not only that, but the ESB won’t even tell him when he will be connected.”
Asking council management to step in and demand action from ESB Networks, Cllr Mullins said: “This man will probably pull the plug if he can’t get a connection and those jobs will be lost.”
The Portarlington councillor remarked that it was “absolutely scandalous” that the ESB had never responded to repeated council complaints, regarding long delays in providing electricity connections.
“We might as well be out in Cameroon or somewhere. It’s an absolute joke. It’s an absolute disgrace,” he told the December meeting of Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District (MD).
He added that he was aware of other people who were waiting 10 weeks for an electricity connection, as he condemned the “poor service” provided by ESB Networks that had been constantly criticised at council meetings.
Cllr Mullins said: “These suits are well paid, they should be answerable here. It is a semi-State body.”
Graiguecullen-based Cllr Ben Brennan agreed and said he was aware of a local man who waited three years for an electricity connection, while another paid for a connection in February but it was not turned on until two weeks ago.
Cllr Brennan added that councillors had no contact number for anyone to assist them in the ESB, when constituents needed help.
He said: “We need a number that we can contact in the ESB. We have repeatedly asked for one.”
Cllr Aisling Moran said the problem was that the utility received payment in advance, so there was no incentive to connect customers without delay.
She said: “I would like to know how far behind they are in providing connections and their level of staffing.”
An official told Cllr Mullins that his concerns regarding the delay in providing a connection for the Ballybrittas business would be brought to the attention of the council management team.
