asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether for the information of those responsible for carrying on the building and other allied industries he will state what the policy of the Government in relation to house-building during the present emergency is, or is going to be.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government's House-building Policy.
The Government policy on housing remains unchanged. There is not likely to be any serious dislocation in building schemes of local bodies which are at present under contract. There may be some difficulty experienced in a, few areas owing to a temporary shortage of materials. As regards the future it is not possible yet to make any forecast of conditions but it is to be expected that progress will be retarded. The position is being kept under close observation.
Would the Minister say whether in respect of both rural and urban housing, it is intended to continue for, say, the next 12 months the offer of the same financial facilities as already exist?
So far as contracts have been entered into, it is certainly the intention to see that they are carried out as far as possible. I could not say at the moment what changes may take place in the next 12 months with regard to the housing facilities that may be offered.
Could the Minister inform the House whether he has made any inquiry into the adequacy of our supplies of cement and timber, and, if so, whether he is aware that Cement, Ltd., have informed purchasers here that they are no longer in a position to give regular supplies since their own supplies of Belgian cement have been cut off.
So far as we have been able to ascertain from contractors, certainly in the city, that is not our information. We are informed that they have supplies at the moment adequate to continue their contracts and we have not been informed of any difficulties. In certain parts of the country—in two areas, I think—we have boon informed of some difficulties with regard to building materials. We are keeping in the closest possible touch with the Department of Supplies and doing everything we can to got the necessary information about them and to see what the position is.
Is the Minister aware that persons who received housing grants, or grants for the repair of houses, have been obliged to abandon proceedings because they were unable to get cement and only very restricted supplies of timber, and that in at least one case a man has pulled down a room which he proposed to re-build and is unable to get cement to fill the hole which the torn down room has created in the gable wall of his house.
We have not been made aware of that.
Is the Minister aware that there was, and still is, an actual shortage of cement—that it is rationed to builders and that the rations are very small?
That may be.
Might I ask if the intention of the Department is to continue the present housing and reconstruction grants in rural areas?
There is a question on that matter on the Order Paper, and question No. 9 also deals with building materials.