asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that the Dublin Corporation, to comply with the Housing (Amendment) Act, 1948, have recently sent a survey questionnaire to all their tenants of flats and cottages requesting certain information which the tenants state is of a private and personal nature; and, if so, whether he will direct the withdrawal of the circular in question.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Questionnaire to Corporation Tenants.
Mr. A. Byrne
Mr. Murphy
I am aware that a survey of the economic position of tenants of corporation houses is being undertaken by the corporation before proceeding to consider the advisability of introducing a system of differential rents in connection with the letting of dwellings provided under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts. The authority to seek and obtain the necessary information rests on legislation recently enacted, and the Deputy will, I am sure, appreciate my inability to intervene in the matter.
Mr. A. Byrne
Would the Minister not consider the advisability of introducing amending legislation that will give him power to withdraw these most objectionable forms which are being sent to corporation tenants asking them private information about their families?
Is the Minister aware that the word "objectionable" is only Deputy Alfred Byrne's? This matter was discussed by the Housing Committee even on Friday last and Deputy Alfred Byrne was the only person who objected to it. The Minister must be aware that the object the corporation has in issuing these forms is to see whether it will be possible to reduce rents for people in certain cases, to introduce here a similar scheme to that in operation in Cork, a differential renting scheme.
Is the Minister aware that the corporation tenants consider these circulars objectionable?
Would the Minister state whether it is not a fact that these circulars were issued on the sanction of his Department and that there is nothing different in the circular from what a person applying for a corporation house has to fill in in the course of his application for a corporation tenancy?
Mr. Murphy
I do not think I have sufficient information on which to base any case for amending legislation. With regard to the different points of view in the Dublin Corporation, if there are different points of view, I have no information on that matter. In reply to Deputy Briscoe's supplementary question, so far as I can judge from an examination of the papers in this case, the Department of Local Government do not go into these matters. This arises because of a section in the Housing Amendment Act, 1948, and the inquiries are carried out in pursuance of powers conferred on the Dublin Corporation—powers sought, as far as I know, at the request of the corporation.