asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the cause of the delay in proceeding with the erection of houses at Staplestown, County Kildare, and when it is anticipated the work will commence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Kildare Housing Scheme.
Some unavoidable delay in proceeding with the erection of these houses occurred in the course of the examination by the Kildare County Council in conjunction with my Department of the question of accepting a tender for the work. My Department has replied to the council's latest proposal on this matter, which has followed a second invitation of tenders. The date on which work on the scheme will commence depends on the completion of the usual preliminaries to the acceptance of a tender and signing of a contract.
Would the Minister say whether the tender has now been approved by his Department?
We have raised one single question with them and I take it that, when they reply to us, the possibilities are that we will not raise any further question.
May I take it, therefore, that the tussle which went on between the council and the Department over the first set of tenders will not be rehearsed over the second set?
I do not think it is fair to describe the correspondence as a tussle. We were merely drawing the attention of the local authority in question to the fact that it was not easy or should not be easy to escape the acceptance of the lowest tender without some reason for it.
We had seen the houses—the Minister had not—that the lowest tenderer had erected.
I am not questioning that, but Deputy Norton, who put the question on the Order Paper, will realise that when we see a proposition to overlook the lowest tender, we naturally have to seek information as to the cause.
I take it now that the Minister is satisfied that there were good grounds for what the council desired to do?
Yes, we are satisfied all right.