asked the Minister for Local Government the cause of the delay in giving sanction to contracts submitted to his Department by the local authority for the housing scheme in French's Field, Gorey, County Wexford.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Wexford Housing.
24.
A decision on the tender for this scheme will be given as soon as possible.
I have inquired from the Department as to when they will be able to give a decision. They have told me they do not know. Perhaps the Minister could tell me now when that decision will be given? The Minister might also be able to tell me why there is a hold-up in connection with sanction.
There is no undue hold-up, but lest anybody might infer that there is some change this year as against the past six years, it is only fair to say that this is the first year that I as Minister for Local Government have been in the position that I have not had more money than there is work for. This is not to say that we are not doing more work this year with more money than I have done in any year since I became Minister.
I do not wish to press the Minister unduly but he is no doubt aware that this scheme has been hanging fire for over three years and that the people of Gorey who are waiting for houses are anxious to know if these houses will be built and, if so, when. Therefore I would ask the Minister to explain the reason for the delay more fully.
I cannot give any further information than I have given in the reply, that is, that there will be a decision given on the tender for this scheme as soon as possible.
The answer is the credit squeeze—is that it?
Maybe so.
25.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he hopes to be in a position to sanction the scheme of purchase and repair of the houses in Armstrong's Range, Enniscorthy, County Wexford, which was submitted to his Department by the Enniscorthy Urban Council.
Technical aspects of a revised proposal, which was submitted on 15 September last, were the subject of a recent discussion between an inspector of my Department and the council's engineer. I hope to be in a position to give a decision on the proposal shortly.