asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state in respect of the houses at (a) Monkstown Farm, and (b) Templehill, Blackrock, erected by the Dun Laoghaire Borough Council, whether any and, if so, how many of the tenants occupying those houses were transferred thereto from slum areas and overcrowded dwellings; whether any of the latter and, if so, how many received any benefit in respect of rent charges under the Housing Act, 1932, so far as it relates to the payment of two-thirds of the interest charges in respect of houses provided for persons transferred from slum areas and overcrowded dwellings; further, whether he will state what grants or subsidies were paid, or are payable, from State funds in respect of these schemes, and to what extent arc such grants or subsidies reflected in the rents payable by persons occupying houses under these schemes who w ere formerly living in slums and overcrowded houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dun Laoghaire Council Houses.
The schemes carried out by the Dun Laoghaire Corporation at Monkstown Farm and Templehill were not specially undertaken for the rehousing of persons displaced by operations under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts. The scheme carried out it Monkstown Farm was divided into two sections—the first section consisting of 146 houses was composed of houses with kitchen, parlour, three bedrooms and bathroom, with a circulating hot water system. This type of house is above the general standard of houses provided under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts and no contributions to loan charges are made by the State. The houses are let at 15/- a week. The second scheme of houses at Monkstown Farm consists of 172 houses and the scheme at Templehill, Blackrock, of 40 houses. These houses are of the four-roomed type and are let to persons who are unable to meet the full economic rent. In these cases the contributions to loan charges are payable at a rate not exceeding 33? per cent. The rents are 10/6 (Monkstown Farm) and 12/6 (Templehill) a week and have been fixed by the corporation having full regard to the annual State contribution.
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state in respect of the houses erected at (a) Monkstown Farm, and (b) Templehill, Blackrock, by Dun Laoghaire Borough Council (1) the contractors' average price per house, (2) the average all-in cost per house, (3) the rate of interest and terms in regard to repayment at which the money required for these schemes was borrowed, and (4) the extent and nature of the modifications regarding interest and terms of repayment made subsequently concerning these loans.
The contractors' average price per house in respect of 331 houses built by the Dun Laoghaire Corporation at Monkstown Farm was £471, and in respect of 40 houses at Templehill was £455 per house. The average all-in cost per house in repect of these schemes was £507 and £471 respectively. The rates of interest at which the loans for these schemes were obtained were 4?, 4¼ and 4½ per cent., repayable over 30-35 years. I understand that an arrangement has been made to have the rate of interest reduced in all cases to 3½ per cent., but the reduction will not take effect until 1st March next.