asked the Minister for Local Government why he has not yet given his sanction in respect of tenders submitted by the Donegal County Council for 43 specific instance cottages.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal Cottages.
Doubts as to their eligibility for and need of rehousing exist in respect of a number of the applicants for whom the Donegal County Council propose to erect these cottages. I am in communication with the local authority on this aspect of the matter and when the position has been clarified there will be no avoidable delay in issuing a decision on their proposals.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say what is the nature of its communication from the local authority?
Proposals by Donegal County Council to accept tenders for a total of 54 cottages were received in the Department between the 14th May, 1956, and the 17th of October, 1956. Subsequent correspondence elicited the fact that some of the applicants are small farmers and, as such, do not appear to be appropriate cases for rehousing under the Labourers Acts. A further three applicants are reported by officers of the local authorities to be living in fit houses at present and their need for rehousing is not apparent. In another case, the resiting of a cottage in a position which may obviate the need for constructing a costly access road is to be considered by the local authority. Clarification of the need in a few other cases has also been requested and, finally, the local authority is to examine the feasibility of repairing the existing houses of some of the applicants. The local authority were asked by letter of the 5th November for their observations on the foregoing matters.
It is quite evident from the reply of the Parliamentary Secretary that he has got full information from the local authority.
Would the Deputy ask the supplementary question he was prompted to ask by Deputy MacEntee.
I can ask my own questions.
I saw Deputy MacEntee.
We all saw him.
It is quite evident from the information with which I have been supplied that the Minister got all necessary information. Therefore I would ask why there is such a delay——
Let Deputy MacEntee prompt him again. The special prompting official.
Arising out of the reply——
Question No. 32.
Deputies are entitled to ask supplementary questions and to get proper replies to them. They are entitled to ask further questions where the answer given by the Minister is unsatisfactory.
The Chair decides the number of supplementary questions Deputies may ask.
There was only one supplementary asked on this question.
Question No. 32.