asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of the fact that a tender has been sanctioned by him for the building of some 115 residences at Wolfe Tone Street, Cork, and that the best months of the year for building are passing without any start being made, he will state when money will be made available for this purpose.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Housing Scheme.
As the Deputy and the Cork Corporation are aware the question of the manner in which the next instalment of the corporation's capital requirements is to be raised is being considered at the moment. I see no reason why the local authority should have deferred the placing of the housing contract referred to by the Deputy if they were satisfied on the points raised by me when sanctioning the tender. In this connection I would remind the Deputy that, when sanctioning the tender, I pointed out to the corporation that the level of the tender was such as would create difficulties for the corporation in regard to the fixing of rents and the determination of the loss to be borne by the corporation.
Is the Minister aware that his architects, the Cork city architects, himself and the five Cork Deputies came to an agreement for a reduction of £20 per house? He asks now why the corporation could not go ahead when he has sanctioned the tender. The reason is that the Minister gave permission to the corporation to apply for a loan to carry out this work and the banks said they would not give the money. The corporation has not got the money. The best months of the year are passing and we still have not got the money. The manager told me yesterday that we have sufficient money to carry on for less than one month on our ordinary housing. Now we are coolly told that the matter is being examined.
I sanctioned the scheme. It is up to the Deputy to proceed and advertise for tenders.
We got the tenders and the Minister sanctioned them.
Could I do more than that?
Sir, I propose to raise this matter on the Adjournment.