asked the Minister for Local Government if he will make a statement regarding the delay (1) in carrying out the arrangements by which cottages in South Kerry may be handed over to tenants anxious and willing to purchase them, and (2) in erecting cottages in areas where sites are voluntarily offered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Provision of Cottages in Kerry.
(1) Under the Labourers Act, 1936, a county council is required to place cottages in good repair before vesting them in tenants. I have been informed by the county council that the delay in vesting cottages in South Kerry is occasioned by the exceptionally heavy demand by all tenants of county council cottages to have their cottages repaired. The county council has now decided to give priority in the matter of repairs to cottages, the tenants of which have applied to have their dwellings vested in them. This should expedite vesting operations.
(2) I am not aware that there is undue delay in the formulation of housing schemes for sites voluntarily offered which are suitable for housing purposes. Proposals for the acquisition of a number of sites by agreement for grouped cottage schemes have been submitted by county council and decisions on these proposals will be conveyed to the council at an early date.
Four Compulsory Purchase Orders have been made by the council which include some sites the acquisition of which was not opposed by the owners. An Order confirming the acquisition of 48 of those sites which will accommodate 51 cottages was made some time ago and I understand that tenders are being invited for the erection of the cottages. Decisions on the remaining Orders will be made as soon as possible.
A scheme for the erection of ten cottages on sites voluntarily offered in the Killorglin district has recently been approved.
In addition to the foregoing I understand that 80 sites voluntarily offered in the Tralee area have been examined and the council's engineer has been instructed to prepare maps of the sites considered suitable. The council's engineer has also been instructed to inspect and report on 57 sites voluntarily offered in the Killarney district.
Is the Minister aware that it is mainly because of the difficulty in obtaining housing sites that delay is caused in the building programme in Kerry? Is he further aware that the delay in dealing with the plan under review by officials of his Department has occasioned further delay to the county council and that the original plan suggested by the officers of his Department was not acceptable to the county council? Will the Minister see his way to review the position again as we hope to do good work in County Kerry?
The supplementary question has no relation to the question on the paper.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether steps have been taken to acquire sites for labourers' cottages at Ballyheigue, Tralee, County Kerry; and, if so, if he will state how many cottages it is intended to erect there; whether agreement has been reached with the owner or owners of the sites; and, if so, whether he will indicate the cause of the delay in going ahead with the erection of these cottages.
A site at Ballyheigue containing four and a half acres is included in the Kerry County (Rural Towns) (Compulsory) No. 1 Labourers Acts Order, 1949, which has been submitted by the county council for confirmation. The site would accommodate 19 cottages. I understand that no agreement has been made with the owner of the site regarding the amount of compensation payable.
A decision on the order will be conveyed to the council by the end of next week.