asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that the Cork City Manager has let houses at Ballyphehane, Cork, at differential rents with a maximum of 40/- per week, while similar houses at Bakers Lane have been let on the same system at a maximum of 30/- per week; and, if so, whether he will state if these rents have been sanctioned by his Department and also indicate the reason for different rents being fixed for similar houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Differential Renting System.
An application for approval to a differential rent system with a maximum of 40/- per week for a number of houses at Ballyphehane has been received and is at present under consideration. Examination of the matter has not yet concluded. I could not, therefore, at present offer an opinion on the justification for the difference in the maximum rents for the two schemes mentioned by the Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that those rents are already in force and the people have been paying them for the past month? Can the Minister also state whether the city manager has done that without any sanction?
I have stated the position as I know it.
I am stating what Deputy Hickey and other people know to be a fact—that those rents are actually being charged.
I have said that examination of the matter has not yet concluded and that I could not, therefore, at present offer an opinion on the justification for the difference in the maximum rents for the two schemes mentioned by the Deputy.
Is the city manager empowered to charge those rents without the sanction I have referred to?
The Deputy, who is a member of the Cork Corporation, should take up these other issues with the city manager.
The Deputy has taken the matter up with him months ago. Has the city manager the power to charge these rents without the sanction of the Department?
The sanction for the scheme has not been examined and it is for the Deputy to take up the other issues with the city manager.
The Deputy should get some help from the Minister.