asked the Minister for Local Government when it is anticipated that the provision of housing accommodation by the Dublin Corporation in the Ballymun area will commence and be completed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballymun Housing Scheme.
13.
Work on this scheme commenced on 31st March last. The provision of roads, drainage, water and sewerage services, public utilities and landscaping is proceeding simultaneously with the construction of the factory for the manufacture of components. The first prototype houses will be completed this month. The production of houses will continue apace with the availability of services and when the construction of flats commences early in 1966, the rate of completion of dwellings will accelerate to 1,000 a year. The period of the contract is four years from February, 1965.
Could the Minister say how many houses he anticipates being finished this month?
No, I could not say that.
Could the Minister give any indication?
I did say in the reply that the first prototype houses would be completed this month.
When the Minister says "the first prototype houses", how many?
I do not know.
Could the Minister find out?
I will find out. I will be up there on Wednesday next examining those that it has already been indicated are ready. So there has been some progress, which is rather better than the usual reply that is received that no work has begun on the site.
Numerous people are constantly asking when the houses will be started and when they will be completed and when they may expect to be accommodated.
They certainly have been started, I can assure the Deputy, and all the other work is proceeding simultaneously, including the erection of the factory. The very first of the houses will be available for inspection this coming week and in September, I expect that we will have the first handover of a very considerable number of houses and the pace of house production should increase thereafter up to the end of the year, and after January or February of next year, we should be getting into a full run of factory-produced elements for the construction of flats which should give us a rate of output and completions of about 1,000 a year for the following three years.