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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Jun 1963

Vol. 203 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Dangerous Buildings.

45.

asked the Minister for Local Government the number of houses in Dublin city which are classified as dangerous buildings, and which are still occupied.

46.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Local Government the number of houses in Dublin which are considered dangerous or unfit for human habitation.

47.

asked the Minister for Local Government (a) the present arrangements for inspecting dangerous buildings in the city of Dublin, (b) the procedure for condemning buildings found to be dangerous, and (c) the arrangements for rehousing the occupants of such buildings.

48.

asked the Minister for Local Government the dates on which the tenement houses in Bolton Street and Fenian Street, Dublin were, prior to their collapse, inspected by the derelict houses inspectors; and what were their reports.

49.

asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of the now known dangerous condition of many old houses of the tenement type in the city of Dublin, he will arrange for a comprehensive survey of all such occupied buildings so as to enable timely action to be taken to avert the risk of further serious accidents.

50.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he will make a statement on the recent collapse of old houses in several parts of Dublin; and if he is satisfied with the existing system of surveillance of old and dangerous buildings employed by Dublin Corporation.

51.

asked the Minister for Local Government what steps he proposes to take to allay the widespread concern at the collapse of so many unfit dwellings in Dublin city; and whether the acute housing shortage can be more expeditiously overcome so as to ensure that such structures will no longer have to be occupied.

52.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Local Government whether, with a view to avoiding further fatalities in Dublin due to collapsing houses, he will have immediate steps taken, including the adoption of emergency measures if need be, to provide housing accommodation for people in dangerous buildings.

53.

asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of the repeated hardship arising from the collapse of tenement buildings in the city, and of the clear failure by the City Housing Authority to take proper steps to anticipate such occurrences, he will institute a full public inquiry into the actions of the Housing Authority responsible for the position of derelict buildings in the city, and the reasons for the occurrences.

54.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that there is still difficulty in finding suitable accommodation for tenants of condemned and dangerous tenements in Dublin city (North-Central); and if he will make a statement on the housing position generally in the city.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 to 54 together.

It is a responsibility of the Dublin Corporation to rehouse, in accordance with a statutory scale of preferences, persons displaced from houses condemned as unfit, overcrowded or dangerous. Provision has been made so that preference can be given to persons displaced from dangerous buildings.

I understand that the Corporation have taken steps to deal with the present situation both by increasing the number of staff dealing with dangerous buildings and by providing additional dwellings for those who have to be rehoused from the dwellings found to be dangerous. I have already indicated on a number of occasions that I shall be only too happy to co-operate with the Corporation in every way open to me to assist them to increase the supply of new tenancies to relieve the situation as quickly as possible.

The Corporation's powers to deal with dangerous buildings, independently of their operations under the Housing Acts, are not subject to any statutory supervision or sanction by the Minister for Local Government, and there are no statistics furnished to my Department regarding the number of houses classified as dangerous and still occupied. I understand that many dangerous building notices are served in respect of defective chimneys, roofs, etc. where the houses themselves are not considered dangerous to occupy.

As Deputies are aware, I have directed a public local inquiry to be held into the circumstances connected with the collapse of buildings, involving loss of life, at Bolton Street and Fenian Street and into the administration of the law respecting unfit dwellings and dangerous structures in relation to these buildings.

Is it not a fact that the heart of this matter is in 1957 we had a surplus of houses in the city of Dublin greater than we had tenants to apply for and that today in 1963 we have an acute shortage of houses in the city of Dublin? Is this not the root cause of the appalling scandal whereby we are held up before the world as a country with a capital city in which people are suffered to die because of the houses collapsing around them?

The case has been made that the powers the Corporation Housing Committee have at present are archaic. Would the Minister agree that is so and, if he does agree, would he take steps to bring into the House whatever legislation he feels is required to deal expeditiously with this matter in the future, as it certainly has not been dealt with in the past?

I do not at all agree with the assertions made by the Leader of the Opposition in regard to the basic cause of the recent unfortunate accidents arising out of buildings falling down. I do not think Question Time is the appropriate time to go into the full details as to how the situation has arisen that there is a shortage of houses in Dublin to-day which was not the experience in 1956-57.

There is no shortage of luxury hotels. Is it not a fact that more attention is being paid to them than to providing houses for the people?

There is no shortage of more things than hotels.

You give priority to luxury hotels while our people are not decently housed.

The Deputy is interrupting in the interests of order.

It is time the Taoiseach learned order.

It is time you let the Deputy into the Chair, Sir. He will do better than anyone else.

In reply to Deputy Dr. Browne, his supplementary dealt with future housing policy and what powers housing authorities have or have not. There are so many aspects of this matter that it would be impossible to give any full answer to the specific point raised by him. In regard to one aspect, however, that is, the lack of power to acquire property in order to carry out proper rehousing, that matter is being taken care of and the reasons behind it are outlined in the Planning and Development Bill now before the House. Under this Bill, housing authorities generally will be greatly facilitated in their efforts to acquire derelict property or property that is not necessarily derelict but is required in order to ensure proper development. If the Deputy feels there is neglect of any other aspect, I suggest that he put down a specific question and I shall endeavour to give a specific answer.

Has the Minister replied to Question No. 48?

I feel I have replied to it.

Would the Minister indicate who is responsible for the repair or demolition of a building when it is considered to be unsafe?

It depends on who owns it.

If, for example, a person owns a building and it is found by the Corporation to be unsafe, must the person take steps to demolish the building for the safety of the occupiers or have the Corporation power to do so and to recover the costs?

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