asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state (1) whether the 52 houses erected at Portlaoighise, County Laoighis, at a contract price of £1,760 each are to be let to slum dwellers; (2) the rent fixed by the county manager for these houses; (3) whether he has sanctioned the proposal of the manager or requested him to reduce the rent to a more reasonable figure, and (4) whether the full amount of the development cost of £11,485 was charged against this scheme in determining the proposed rent, and if he will furnish particulars of the total amounts allocated from the Exchequer and local authority funds towards the cost of this scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Portlaoighise Housing Scheme.
I am informed that it is the intention to let to slum dwellers as many of these houses as may be necessary. The rent is 14s. 8d., exclusive of rates, per week, and was fixed by the county council. It was approved by me on 16th May, 1949. Representations have since reached me in regard to these rents and I understand that the question of a differential rent system may be examined locally before the tenants are selected.
The full development cost of the site has been charged to these houses in determining the rent.
The maximum grant of £400 per house has been provisionally allocated from the Transition Development Fund. In addition annual subsidy will be payable subject to the terms of Section 6 of the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1932. The local authority has decided to make an annual contribution of £15 12s. per house. The question of the local contribution may be subject to reconsideration in the event of a differential rent system being adopted.
Is it not a fact, whatever rent is fixed, whether a system of differential rents is introduced or not, or whether the rent is fixed by the manager or by the county council, that sanction must be obtained in each case from the Minister for Local Government?
Quite.