asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (1) the number of houses recently erected by the Laoighis County Board of Health at Portarlington, County Leix, and the original cost estimated and submitted to the Board by their consulting engineer; (2) the price submitted by the contractor who carried out the work; (3) the total cost already incurred to date in connection with this scheme; (4) whether the additional cost, if any, was sanctioned by his Department and whether it has to be borne by the tenants of the houses or the ratepayers of the county.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Laoighis Housing Scheme.
Fourteen cottages were erected recently by the Board of Health at Portarlington. The original cost of building was estimated by the Board's engineer at £5,304. The price submitted by the contractor was £5,020. The total cost incurred to date on the scheme is £8,333 5s. 11d. The additional cost yet to be met will bring the total expenditure up to £8,505 14s. 5d. The additional cost over the original contract price is made up of the following expenditure sanctioned by me:—
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
|
Alteration of plans for two houses on main street to bring them into conformity with adjoining houses |
363 |
7 |
2 |
|
Filling old well |
13 |
10 |
0 |
|
Levelling children's playground |
24 |
7 |
3 |
|
Sewer |
48 |
0 |
0 |
|
New well, water tank and pumping plant |
393 |
16 |
7 |
|
Boundary walls |
93 |
14 |
0 |
|
Railings |
79 |
3 |
0 |
|
Acquisition of site and compensation award of £4,236 16s. 2d. attaching thereto |
2,117 |
10 |
0 |
|
Incidental expenses in connection with the scheme are: |
|||
|
Legal expenses |
84 |
12 |
0 |
|
Architect's fees |
181 |
1 |
6 |
|
Advertising, Printing, overdraft, interest, etc. |
86 |
12 |
11 |
Against the total cost of £8,505 14s. 5d. there is set off the value of the award purchased, namely, £4,236 16s. 2d., making the net cost of the scheme £4,268 18s. 3d. £3,400 of this sum was raised by way of loan.
The cottages are let at weekly rents of 4s. 6d., which results in an annual loss of £161 19s. 6d. plus cost of repairs on the rates. There is a proposal before me from the Board to reduce the rent of 12 of the cottages to 3s. 6d. weekly, which will place a further annual charge of £36 8s. 0d. on the rates.