asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that under existing regulations, a county manager has to take the whole county health district into consideration when allocating tenancies for labourers' cottages, a procedure which militates against local applicants; and, if so, if he will consider amending the regulations to confine the allocation of such cottages to applicants from the parishes in which they are situated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cottage Tenancies.
The provisions of the Housing (Management and Letting) Regulations, 1950 and 1953, are not in any way restrictive in the scope of their application and it would be contrary to the general intention of the regulations deliberately to confine the selection of tenants for grouped schemes to applicants from a particular locality. The exercise of the prescribed preferences is, however, subject to the overriding proviso that regard shall be had "to the character, industry, occupation, family circumstances and existing housing conditions of the applicants and subject thereto", preference is required to be given, only wherever practicable, to persons in the categories prescribed. In general, it would seem desirable to rehouse persons in their own area as far as possible but this is a matter for the housing authority subject to the provisions of the Housing (Management and Letting) Regulations.
No amendment of the regulations is at present contemplated.
Is the Minister aware that in County Kerry when a housing scheme is being initiated the scheme is based on the number of people entitled, according to the County Medical Officer of Health, to houses in a parish district? In view of the fact that the scheme itself is based on the parish unit and the number of people residing in that area, is it fair that the Department and Minister concerned should come along to the local authority and say that they must bring in people from the other end of the county before they house the people for whom that scheme was initiated? I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary if it would not be just and fair to have that regulation amended or to have legislation introduced to amend it?
A very good speech, Deputy.
When the Deputy reads the reply carefully he will see that it contains an intimation that the Department desires that local applications should get preference. A copy of that reply was sent to the chairman of the county council on the 18th of September last and as far as I can find there is no further comment or suggestion from the council since. I would also suggest to the Deputy that at the time when we are proposing to pass further powers back to the local authorities, including powers associated with housing, it would be wrong for the Department at this stage to give a direction to the county council even if the Department had the power to do so.