asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the scarcity of housing accommodation in Dublin for newly weds and applicants with one and two children for a room, flat or cottage, and that the £250 grant by the Government towards the building of accommodation for newly weds is considered inadequate; and, if so, if he will increase the grant so as to encourage the building of more accommodation for those now urgently in need of housing.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Housing.
I am satisfied that the State grant available for this purpose is adequate and that having regard to the magnitude of the task facing the Dublin Corporation to provide houses for families living in overcrowded and unhealthy conditions, the number of houses for newly weds provided annually by that body is reasonable.
Mr. A. Byrne
Will the Minister say that 200 houses per year is reasonable for newly weds in view of the fact that the marriage rate is on the average about 1,000 per year? When the corporation take over rooms whichthey may get, they give back only 200 for 1,000 people. The result is that the young people are going back to their parents' rooms so that we are having the further overcrowded conditions which the Minister has spoken of. The £250 per house to house newly weds is not sufficient, and the corporation have said so frequently.
I do not know whether the Deputy expects me to deal with corporation policy. The programme laid down by the corporation is to allocate 10 per cent. of all newly built houses to newly weds. I presume that the primary purpose of housing in Dublin is to provide for those who are living, as I have said, in overcrowded and unhealthy conditions. If the Dublin Corporation can show the Minister how more can be done for the newly weds without interfering with that primary objective, I am sure the Minister will be quite willing to listen to their representations.
Mr. A. Byrne
I have pointed out in my question that £250 of a grant for houses for newly weds is totally inadequate when we consider that in the case of other houses we get, I think, an average of about £1,000 towards a £2,000 or £1,800 house.
Is not that a matter for the corporation of which the Deputy is a member?
Mr. A. Byrne
I am addressing the Minister and not the Parliamentary Secretary. The Minister has asked me for advice and I am telling him how it could be done so that the Parliamentary Secretary might keep quiet for a moment. If the Minister would give an increased grant towards the building of houses for the newly weds, we could build more houses for them. There are, as I have said, about 1,000 persons getting married each year and there is only a grant of £250 given towards the building of houses for them.
The Deputy is now making a speech.
Mr. A. Byrne
The result is that they have to go back to their parents' rooms and that leads to the overcrowded andunhealthy conditions to which the Minister has referred.