asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that the tenants of the labourers' cottages in County Mayo signed agreements to purchase their cottages over a year ago; if he will state (a) when the scheme for the sale of such cottages was submitted to his Department, (b) sanctioned by his Department, and (c) the cause of the delay by the Mayo Board of Health in having the scheme carried out.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Mayo Cottage Purchase Scheme.
Two schemes for the sale of 521 cottages in the county health district of Mayo were submitted to my Department, the first scheme for 492 cottages on the 28th September, 1937, and the second scheme for 29 cottages on the 19th February, 1940. The first scheme was approved on the 3rd September, 1938, and the second scheme on the 30th June, 1941. Up to the 30th June last applications had been received from 176 tenants for the purchase of their cottages.
Before vesting cottages in tenants the local authorities are required to place these cottages in good repair and sanitary condition. This work has been in progress in Mayo for some time and it is understood the repairs will soon be completed.
On the 28th ultimo the county council reported that, owing to the absence of records relating to cottage plots purchased prior to 1918, there had been delay in vesting the cottages owing to difficulties in connection with the registration of the title of the local authority to cottage plots. It is understood that there are only a few such cases now outstanding. I may say that the difficulties as to title encountered in this instance are commonly met with owing to the destruction of general and local records.