asked the Minister for Local Government if he would be prepared to grant in respect of non-municipal houses and rural houses built by county councils and urban authorities the same abatement of rates as is granted to private individuals in respect of houses for which they get a housing grant.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Abatement of Rates.
The Deputy's suggestion is, in effect, that local authorities should be obliged to grant to tenants of houses provided by them a subsidy by way of remission of rates over a period of seven years, in addition to any reduction in rents which it is the practice of the local authority to grant by charging on the local rates a portion of the housing costs which would otherwise be payable as rent.
The remission of rates granted in respect of private houses is intended to provide an incentive to private building. No similar incentive is required as regards the provision of houses by local authorities.
So far as the total amount required to be met by the tenant is concerned, I may say that the determination of the most equitable manner of fixing rents of local authority houses is under review in the Department at present.