asked the Minister for Health if he is aware (1) that the Cork Corporation built 22 small houses to provide for lone couples and newlyweds; (2) that an applicant, a sufferer from tuberculosis with a wife and no family, was unable to secure one of these because his means were considered too small; (3) that this man had just spent a long period in a sanatorium; (4) that if these houses were situated within the borough he could have been allowed the full rent, which was 15/-, but as they were situated immediately outside the borough the maximum allowance is 10/- and the allowance for himself and wife would be reduced from £3 to £2 15s. 0d. per week; (5) that a number of other corporation tenants are suffering great hardships due to these disparities and the disparities in children's allowances under the Infectious Deseases (Maintenance) Regulations, 1948; and whether, in view of these hardships, he will extend the city benefits to all tenants of corporation houses outside the borough as has already been done for recipients of unemployment assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Extension of Corporation Housing Conditions.
I presume the Deputy is aware that matters relating to housing are the responsibility of the Minister for Local Government and that he has addressed this question to me because he is of opinion that if the rates of allowances under the Infectious Diseases (Maintenance) Regulations, 1948 and 1949, applicable in Cork City were applicable to persons living in houses built by Cork Corporation outside the city boundaries, the means of the man to whom he refers in the early part of the question would have been such that he would not have been regarded as ineligible for the allocation to him of one of the houses on grounds of insufficient means.
As it is not possible for me, on the information supplied, to identify the man, I have been unable to make inquiries in the matter. If the Deputy will furnish me, in confidence, with the necessary particulars I will cause inquiries to be made without delay and will communicate the result of my inquiries to the Deputy.
In regard to the last part of the question, which has reference to persons who are corporation tenants residing outside the corporation area, I would refer the Deputy to the reply I made to a similar question addressed to me on 2nd March last. In that reply I explained that the disparity to which he refers does not necessarily involve payment of allowances at a lower rate to persons resident immediately outside the county borough owing to the discretion in regard to abatement vested in health authorities, but I invited him to bring to my notice any specific case in which there appeared to be hardship. He has not done so, and I am glad to repeat the invitation now, but the Deputy will appreciate that it will be necessary to furnish me with sufficient particulars to enable me to identify the person concerned.
Is the Minister not aware that this does not refer to an individual case only? It is a general scale under which a rent allowance within the borough can be given up to a maximum of 15/- per week, but a rent allowance outside the borough can only be given up to a maximum of 10/- per week. In the case of tuberculosis benefits, a man with a dependent wife is allowed £3 inside the borough and outside the borough only £2 15s. 0d. The allowance for every child in the case of people outside the borough is 2/-a week less. I only brought in the particular case of the lone couple because they would have got their full rent allowance of 15/- a week if they had been inside the borough. On a previous occasion, I asked the Minister would he do what the Minister for Social Welfare does with regard to unemployment assistance. He told me that the disparity was very slight. If the Minister will look into it, he will see that the disparity is 5/- in regard to the rent allowance, 5/- in the maintenance allowance for a man and wife, and 2/- for every child. The difference amounts to £1 a week if a man has a wife and four or five children. I do not think that the disparity is slight in the case of a man with a small income. As to the reply about abatement, there is nothing to abate when a man is dependent on his tuberculosis allowance alone.
If the Deputy would do quarter as much writing as he does talking——
I do not want any sarcastic remarks. It is too serious a matter.
——he would find that it is a very simple matter to comply with the request made. If the cases are so numerous and so general, and I believe they are, as the Deputy indicates, surely he can give one specific example with details. That is all that is asked for and then the whole situation will be looked into.
The Minister represents the constituency as well as myself and I am sure he must be as well aware of the conditions as I am if he is paying attention to his duties.
The Minister and his Department asked for some record for official purposes and the Deputy, representing that county, has failed to give even one example so far.
Is the Minister not aware that all these are in the Department?