asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state what proposals he has before him at present from the Limerick Corporation with regard to compulsory purchase orders and future plans for housing schemes, the date of submission in each case, and the reason for the delays in arriving at a decision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Limerick Compulsory Purchase Orders.
The Limerick Corporation has submitted to my Department two compulsory purchase orders, the Upper Carey's Road Area Compulsory Purchase Order, 1956, and the Boherbuoy Area Compulsory Purchase Order, 1956. The Upper Carey's Road Area Order was made by the corporation on the 27th February, 1956, and was received on the 10th March, 1956. The public local inquiry into this order was held on the 29th January, 1957. The report on the inquiry has been held up pending the receipt of the notetaker's transcript of evidence.
The Boherbuoy Area Order was submitted to the Department on 2nd January last and a public local inquiry has been arranged for the 7th May.
Proposed plans and specification for development work for 61 houses at Island Road were submitted by the corporation on the 18th July, 1956. There were difficulties as to provision of satisfactory drains and sewers but these have now been resolved and the plans and specifications are being examined by my technical advisers.
Would the Minister inform me why there was a delay of over 12 months in the making of the compulsory purchase order with regard to Upper Carey's Road? Is the Minister aware that these delays are causing great hardship in connection with the employment position in the building trade and also great worry to the local authorities?
As far as I can discover, the officer in the Department who was dealing with this order was on sick leave at the time and, in fact, he died afterwards. There was some delay in replacing the individual concerned and this did contribute to some extent to what appears to be an unduly long delay.
Would the Minister not agree that in January, 1956, this compulsory purchase order was originally applied for and, even allowing for the antagonism of the previous Government to housing in any shape or form that something should be done in his Department to expedite such decisions in the future?