ESB failing its public duty, claim councillors

ANGRY Cork county councillors have claimed the ESB is failing in its duty to repair public lighting in reasonable time and have demanded that the local authority seek contracts with an alternative energy-provider.

Fine Gael’s Cllr Gerry Kelly lit the fuse yesterday which sparked other councillors in the chamber at County Hall into telling their own tale of woe.

“When I joined the council in 1999 a public light was fixed in a matter of days. Now you have to dial up a 1850 number to report it. It is supposed to be fixed within 10 working days, but in some cases it’s taking up to three months,” Cllr Kelly said.

He added that lights were needed for people’s safety and often prevented anti-social behaviour. “If we’re paying for a service we should be getting it. It’s just not satisfactory,” he said.

Cllr Tomás Ryan (FG) claimed the ESB’s service was better 20 years ago. “Lights should be fixed in built-up areas within 48 hours. They’re not ornaments, they serve a purpose,” Cllr Ryan said.

Cllr Christy O’Sullivan (IND) claimed the problem was county-wide. “We are not getting the service we deserve from the ESB, to say the least,” Cllr O’Sullivan said.

Meanwhile, Cllr Alan Coleman, who is leader of the Fianna Fail party in the council, said the cost of providing public lighting had rocketed. “It used to cost around €300 to put a light up on a pole, now it’s around €1,000,” he claimed.

Cllr Donal O’Rourke (FF) described ESB maintenance as an inadequate service and questioned if it was value for money?

“It’s backwards we’re gone,” declared Fine Gael’s Cllr Paddy Sheehan.

County engineer Ned Flynn said there is no formal agreement in place between the ESB and local authorities in Ireland to carry out maintenance.

He added that negotiations were taking place to formulate such an agreement. However, he added that the council would also be “looking at the provision of lighting from other providers.”

The informal deal with the semi-State company was agreed with the County and City Managers’ Association.

He said it was likely that Association “would go to the market”, but this wouldn’t happen at least until the end of 2008.