asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the extreme scarcity of houses, he would consider removing all restrictions on the building of dwellinghouses, as there are many cases where persons living in rented houses are now prepared to build their own houses, but cannot get permits to build houses of the types they require; furthermore, is he aware that if permits were granted in these cases many more houses would be available for letting to the general public.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Restrictions on Building.
The resources available to the building industry allow of the erection of only a limited number of dwellinghouses. Houses required by the local authorities and houses of a size for which a subsidy may be obtained under the housing Acts are the types of houses most urgently required, and building licences are being granted freely for them.
The restrictions on building are necessary to prevent the concentration of the limited resources of the building industry on the erection of larger houses and other kinds of building work, and for this reason I cannot agree that the removal of all restrictions on the building of dwellinghouses could be warranted at present.