asked the Minister for Local Government if he is now in a position to state what purchase system has been arranged for the tenants of ex-servicemen's houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ex-servicemen's Houses.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the present position in regard to the reported agreement between the Government and the British Government concerning the sales of houses the property of the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust to the present occupants, and if he will make a statement to the Dáil on the matter.
I propose, with your permission, a Chinn Chomhairle, to reply to Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together. The main heads of the agreement reached between the Irish and British Governments in regard to policy on the future operations of the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust may be summarised as follows:—
(1) The trust will offer purchase rights to tenants who are ex-servicemen of the 1914-18 War. The purchase price, fixed on the basis that the purchaser is a sitting tenant, will range from about £300 per house in rural areas to about £550 in urban areas.
(2) The right of purchase will also extend to widows of ex-servicemen who may be in occupation of a cottage on an appointed future date.
(3) Where a cottage becomes vacant the trust may offer it for sale to a suitable and qualified 1914-18 ex-serviceman who requires accommodation and who is not at the time of purchase a tenant of the trust.
(4) Where a cottage becomes vacant and no eligible ex-serviceman is willing to buy or occupy it, the trust will give the local housing authority in the area the option of purchase. The cottage will then be regarded as available to the local authority for the purposes of the Housing of the Working Classes Acts or the Labourers Acts as the case may be.
The whole matter is at present the subject of examination by the legal advisers of my Department.
In view of the fact that there are several evictions threatened in several areas, as far as I am aware, throughout the country will the Minister use his good offices—that is all I ask him to do—with the people in charge of the trust and the British Government to stay these proceedings until the purchase proceedings have been completed?
I understand that my predecessor asked the trust to impose such a stay but, after a certain time had elapsed, he decided it was unfair to ask the trust to do something that was not in accordance with law or the discharge of their responsibilities.
Would the Minister make available in the Library for the information of Deputies the full text of the agreement that has been reached at the earliest possible date?
I must say I have not even had time to read it very carefully myself.
Will you make it available at the earliest possible date?
In view of the fact that a number of potential purchasers of these houses are now people fairly advanced in years who might find it difficult to borrow money from insurance companies for the purchase of these houses, will the Minister bear in mind the possibility of permitting local authorities to make loans to these people under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Act where they experience difficulty in getting a loan from other sources?
These are all separate questions. I propose to examine this whole matter before long since I appreciate it is an important one.