asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of the long delays in the reletting of vacant Dublin Corporation houses; and whether in view of the considerable annoyance caused by such delays to the large number of applicants for such houses and the serious loss of income to the Corporation he will hold a public inquiry into the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reletting of Vacant Dublin Corporation Houses.
17.
Mr. Ryan
I am not aware that undue delays occur in re-letting Dublin Corporation houses which become vacant. The matter would not be appropriate for investigation by way of a public inquiry. I am prepared to look into the facts of any case where specific evidence of unreasonable delay in re-letting may be furnished to me.
Mr. Ryan
While I appreciate that he is probably being hoodwinked by the Housing Department of the Dublin Corporation, still, if the Minister takes a stroll through the different building estates, he will see that up to 200 houses are closed up with corrugated iron. In many cases they have been lying idle for over two months.
As I have said already, this is not a matter in which I would normally intervene at all, but I am prepared to intervene if specific cases are furnished to me, bearing out the allegations that have been made. I am not prepared to accept the allegation that I am being hoodwinked by the Housing Department of Dublin Corporation and I wonder if, during his stroll through the housing estates, the Deputy actually counted 200 houses unoccupied.
It is not correct to say that there are 200 houses idle. There are probably not 20 of them idle.
Has the Deputy a question to put?
In view of the statement that has just been made, I want to make it clear that these houses are not lying idle.
Mr. Ryan
On a point of order, I did not ask about the allocation of houses. You could allocate a house and, due to incompetence, it might be two months before you relet if. That is an entirely different thing.