asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that the Land Commission have changed their system of house building on divided farms from direct labour to contract, and if he will state the reasons therefor, in view of the fact that houses were better and more cheaply built under the former system.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Commission House Building.
In carrying out their programme of house building, the Land Commission do not confine themselves to either the contract or direct labour system; they use whichever method seems more likely to meet their needs in each particular case.
At present they have 94 dwelling-houses under construction of which 77 are in the hands of contractors and 17 are being built direct by the commission itself.
Is the Minister aware it has been the practice in County Meath for a number of years past to have most of the dwellings erected by direct labour? This year, for the last seven or eight months, or a little bit longer, the Land Commission have given all their jobs——
Since the election.
——all their jobs to contractors. In view of the fact that the other system was quite satisfactory, will the Minister not now reconsider the matter? I should have said for the last 17 or 18 months.
The practice of building by direct labour is always availed of by the Land Commission, but in this case the Land Commission needs a skilled man, one who is competent to supervise the work of laying foundations, the correct building of walls, flooring, finishing, roofing and so on. It does not often happen that the Land Commission has such an expert available to supervise the work and, in that case, they cannot obviously leave the work to unskilled men who would probably spoil it and, therefore, they have to put the work out to contract.
In view of the fact that the Land Commission is laying off the unskilled men to whom the Minister refers in order to give the work to contractors, would he now look into the matter?
I would not agree with the Deputy in that. The Land Commission do not lay off men.
I am giving the Minister the facts.