To ask the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that the Tipperary Urban Council started a housing scheme over six months ago, and that the contract for same was given to a local builder, but the operations were held up owing, as alleged, to the difficulty of getting the Local Government Board to send an arbitrator to value the land on which it is proposed to build the houses; if such is the case, will the Minister undertake to have the matter seen to at once?
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - TIPPERARY HOUSING SCHEME.
DOMHNALL O MUIRGHEASA
On the 28th September last, the Ministry approved of house designs and the acceptance of a tender for 11 houses. The owner of the requisite site granted early entry and the clerk reported so long ago as the 14th of August last that it had been paled in. It had previously been arranged that the price to be paid for the land should be agreed upon between the parties, or, failing agreement, should be settled by an agreed arbitrator. The Ministry has not been made aware of any difficulty in the matter, which is clearly one for the Council and the owner.
The Ministry has done everything possible to assist the Council in pushing on with their housing scheme. Application for loan and other information asked for months ago has not yet been received.