asked the Minister for Local Government how far he is charged with responsibility for the administration of issues from the Local Loans Fund for the purposes of the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Small Dwellings Loans.
The administration of the Local Loans Fund is a function of the Minister for Finance, to whom I may recommend the issue of advances for specific purposes such as operations under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts.
Is the Minister directly responsible for general policy as far as the Small Dwellings Acts are concerned? Is the Minister aware that as a result of his recent statement dealing with small dwellings loans that it is impossible to get a loan under the Small Dwellings Acts through Dublin County Council at the present time? Is the Minister further aware that a man must have a salary of at least £9 10s., and if by any chance he has over £10 a week he will get no loan? I suppose the Minister is aware that as a result of that policy about 95 per cent. of ordinary applicants, who got loans heretofore, will get none in future?
That is a series of supplementary questions.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, is the Minister aware that, as a result of his general statement of policy, people with over £10 a week cannot get these loans, and does the Minister not think that is very unfair on people who have already made commitments and who are now being re-examined in the light of the changed circumstances? Will the Minister see to it that Dublin County Council——
The Deputy is asking too many supplementary questions.
Further arising out of the Minister's reply, will the Minister see that the Dublin County Council and Dublin Corporation will honour their obligations, and will the Minister make some statement and not leave the people who have commitments made——
The Deputy has asked about a half dozen different supplementary questions.
All of which are relevant.
They are: that is true.
I had neither hand, act nor part in the introduction of the Local Loans Fund Act of 1935, but one of the provisions of that Act sets out that, on the appointed day, the Minister for Finance shall establish and thereafter maintain under his control a fund which shall be known as the Local Loans Fund. It is my duty as Minister for Local Government to recommend loans to the Minister for Finance; it is his duty to sanction them.
Is the Minister passing the buck?
I think the Deputy passed it when he was Minister. I accept full responsibility for any duties which are cast upon me under the Act. I merely recommend to the Minister for Finance under the Act introduced, I understand, by Deputy MacEntee.
Arising out of the reply——
It does not arise out of the reply.
Arising out of the Minister's supplementary reply— surely the Minister does not deny that it is as a result of his——
This is rather a leading question.
——that it is as a result——
He is at the cross-examination stage now.
——of his decision that this state of affairs exists with Dublin County Council to-day? Surely the Minister cannot deny responsibility for the issue of the recommendations——
I think the time has come when I should pin-point the responsibility. I have absolutely nothing to do with it. Dublin County Council fixes these limits and I have nothing whatever to do with it.
But surely the Minister made a public statement——
Question No. 33.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of his new policy of providing the necessary finance to local authorities for slum clearance work only, he will ensure that adequate funds will be made available to such authorities for loans under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts in order to encourage persons, who are now not eligible for local authority housing, to provide their own housing accommodation.
It is not the function of the State or of local authorities to provide loan facilities to persons in a position to provide their houses otherwise. Subject to this, the Government's policy is, as indicated in my reply to a question on 2nd May, to ensure that money is available, within the limits of the national resources, for the financing of housing operations including operations under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts.
Is the Minister aware that as a result of his decision in curtailing small dwellings loans, a number of people who were being housed up to the present time under the Small Dwellings Acts will not be able to procure houses at all now, and will he say that they will be housed under the ordinary Housing of the Working Classes Acts by Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council as that is the only way they can get houses? The Minister is aware that, as a result of his general policy, a number of people will not be housed or cannot be housed. I just want to know what he is going to do about it.
I have taken steps to ensure that, within the limits of the national financial resources, every person who requires a house and who is unable to procure loans from other sources may procure them from the Local Loans Fund. I have gone further, and I am now providing that people who cannot procure loans, or who may not procure them from the Local Loans Fund, will be facilitated by the building societies.
Will the Minister state whether or not it is a fact that the regulations governing the administration of local loans by local authorities are under his direction and that where changes take place they take place by his direction?
That is an untruth. I make no regulations—none whatever. Any regulations made are made by the local authorities, by either county councils or corporations. I make no regulations, but I make recommendations.
Oh, I see.
And that is a completely different thing.
I do not know how the Minister, in answering the question, describes the question as an untruth. Might I ask the Minister to say frankly is it by his direction that local authorities are now precluded from giving loans to people who do not qualify under the supplementary class? Further, is it by his direction, or his recommendations, that local authorities cannot now give loans under the Small Dwellings Acts, where the cost of the house is in excess of £2,000? Is that done by his recommendation or otherwise?
The answer is positively "no."
Who makes these recommendations?
It is about time that was said. All the propaganda is blown up now.
There is a mess somewhere.
Write that down now; the answer is "no."
In view of the answer of the Minister for Local Government——
(Interruptions).
Let Deputy Briscoe and Deputy Burke ask another question now.
Order!
In view of the unsatisfactory answer of the Minister for Local Government, I wish to give notice that I intend to raise the subject matter of Question No. 32 on the Adjournment.
Will you not give Deputy Burke a few minutes for publicity?
You mind your own business.
I am very sorry that the Minister for Agriculture has become so perturbed because of an honest-to-God question I set down here in an effort to get justice for my constituents.
And you have got it. The answer is "no."