I move:—
In sub-section (1), line 22, and in sub-section (2), lines 34 and 39, before the words "of the" where they occur in each line to insert the words "of Section 1."
This is a drafting amendment.
Committee on Finance. - Housing (Amendment) Bill, 1942—Committee and Final Stages.
Sections 1, 2 and 3 agreed to.
SECTION 4.
Amendment agreed to.
Section 4, as amended, agreed to.
Section 5 and Title agreed to.
Bill reported with amendment.
I would be glad if I could have the remaining stages of the Bill now.
Agreed.
Question—"That the Bill be received for final consideration"—put and agreed to.
Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."
Mr. Brennan
On the Second Reading of this Bill I raised the question of the letting of these houses. Would the Minister say if he has looked into the matter? It would appear that, when this Bill is passed, local authorities will be put into the position in which they may make their houses available for people who, ordinarily, were not entitled to occupy them. I want to know what power the local authorities will have of getting back those houses again. What will be the terms of letting for the new type of person who will be entitled to a house? Will there be a new type of letting by regulation?
It will be temporary letting.
Will the Minister make it clear that, in the case of a person who before he joined the Defence Forces for the duration of the period of service was entitled to be considered for a labourer's cottage, that person does not lose his right to be considered for a labourer's cottage by reason merely of the fact that he has joined the Defence Forces for the duration period?
He does not. We have made that clear. That question arose in Kildare and it was intimated to the medical officer of health that any person who, as an agricultural labourer, was entitled to receive a cottage, other things being equal. should not lose his entitlement to be considered in due course for a cottage merely by reason of the fact that he was no longer employed in the practice of agriculture but had joined the Army for the duration period.
Mr. Brennan
Suppose a person's house was damaged by aircraft other than enemy aircraft what will happen? Suppose some of our own aircraft in endeavouring to ward off enemy aircraft injure a house, will the local authority not be entitled to put the owner into a house, although they would be entitled if the injury had been caused by foreign or enemy aircraft? What is the position in that respect?
Damage caused by our own aircraft or the Defence Forces, whether warding off foreign aircraft or otherwise, is not covered by this Bill. In a case where damage has been occasioned by our own aircraft or by our own forces—accidentally, of course, in their case—the matter is being dealt with under the Army Vote. There is no specific power given here to local authorities to deal with that case. In fact, what is contemplated here is more or less wholesale destruction and that is not likely to occur where there is only one of our aircraft involved, having to make a forced landing or something like that.
Mr. Brennan
It would be a definite hardship to a family if a house were damaged by one of our own aircraft.
It would, but the difficulties would not be so acute as where an area has been devastated.
Question put and agreed to.