asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the regulations of (a) the Dublin Corporation and (b) the Dublin County Council which determine the applicants who are entitled to loans under the provisions of the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - S.D.A. Loans.
Housing authorities were notified by circular letter in May, 1957, that issues from the Local Loans Fund would be available to enable them to make advances under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts to farmers, the rateable valuation of whose holdings does not exceed £50, to other persons whose incomes do not exceed £832 a year and to tenants of local authority dwellings, without limit of income, who surrender their tenancies on providing their own houses.
Subject to those requirements the housing authorities in question have full discretion in regard to the regulations or other conditions which they may see fit to make in respect of such advances.
Is the third category there subject to the restrictions as regards income that are included for the second category? In other words, if a tenant of a local authority house is giving up his local authority house, is there any restriction on income in that respect?
No. These are the people giving up the tenancies——
Has the Minister under consideration any plans to change the terms of that circular?
Not that I know of.
The Minister ought then examine his conscience in view of what he said about me on it. He abused us up and down the House for it.
Order! Question No. 36.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the total loans made in each of the last five years under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts and the estimated amount available for loans under these Acts in the current year.
The amount of loans advanced by housing authorities to borrowers in each of the four years to 31st March, 1957, the latest date for which complete returns are available, was:—
|
1953-54 |
£3,694,218 |
|
1954-55 |
£3,909,822 |
|
1955-56 |
£4,455,859 |
|
1956-57 |
£2,897,607 |
The requirements of housing authorities for the purposes of the Acts in the current financial year will be issued from the Local Loans Fund to whatever extent is necessary including, as I announced on the Second Reading of the Housing (Amendment) Bill, issues for the purpose of advances to persons in the lower income groups purchasing previously occupied houses and for repair and improvement works.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the amount of loans made under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts in 1956-57 and 1957-58.
The amount of advances made by housing authorities to borrowers under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts in the year 1956-57 was £2,897,607. Similar particulars in respect of the year 1957-58 have not yet been supplied by all the housing authorities concerned.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in respect of each of the past five years (a) the total number of applications to local authorities for loans under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts, and (b) the number of applications in respect of which loans were granted.
The information requested by the Deputy at (a) is not available in my Department.
The number of advances under the Acts approved by housing authorities in 1956-57 was 1,554, in 1955-56—3,171, in 1954-55—3,182, and in 1953-54—2,922.
The particulars requested at (b) are not yet available in respect of the year 1957-58.