Vol. 218 No. 3
asked the Minister for Local Government what tests are applied by the Dublin Corporation in assessing hardship caused to traders by reason of being required to vacate dangerous buildings; and the average amount of grants paid to date by the Dublin Corporation under section 3 (11) of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964.
27.
asked the Minister for Local Government the number of persons carrying on a trade or business in a structure who have been dispossessed by the Dublin Corporation under the dangerous buildings code since 1st June, 1963; the number thereof who have applied for a grant under section 3 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964; the number who have received or who have been approved for a grant; the number whose applications were refused; and the number of such still being considered.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take the replies to Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together.
The question of the tests to be made in assessing hardship in connection with the making of grants under section 3 (11) of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964, is under consideration by the corporation in conjunction with their examination of applications received by them for grants in respect of premises vacated. No final decision has yet been reached in the matter and no grants have been paid.
The Corporation are unable to say exactly how many persons were displaced from vacated business premises since 1st June, 1963, but 158 such premises were vacated. Of this figure, no objection was raised by the corporation to the resumption of business in 42 cases. Applications for grants have been received in 55 cases.
Having regard to the very real hardship many people have suffered by reason of being put out of their small huckster shops, can the Minister give an assurance that no effort will be spared to try to establish a fair system of paying compensation and to ensure that the compensation is paid without any further delay?
The information we have in the Department is that the corporation are pursuing this very actively at the moment.
The Minister will appreciate it is over two years since some of these people were put out of their homes. In the meantime they are literally on the breadline.
