asked the Minister for Local Government the number of housing applications received by Dublin Corporation from the areas of (a) Ballyfermot, (b) Inchicore, (c) Kilmainham, (d) Walkinstown and (e) Bluebell from (i) corporation subtenants and (ii) other applicants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Housing Applications.
13.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. I understand from Dublin Corporation that its preparation would involve detailed examination of all housing applications and would entail an unjustifiable diversion of their staff resources from other urgent work.
May I ask the Minister if it is now seriously proposed here that when a Member of the Dáil seeks information which is important to him and, indeed, to Dáil Éireann, in the estimation of housing needs of an electoral area, the question of whether it will be provided or not is to be left to the officials of Dublin Corporation? Is that the position?
I cannot require the corporation to divert their staff from urgent work in order to compile this information. The applications on the corporation's waiting list for rehousing are not segregated by areas. With the system they operate, it would be a big task so to segregate them now.
I do admit that the number of people seeking houses unsuccessfully is very large, and I have no doubt they have been waiting for years to be accommodated. I have no doubt either that the staff is hardpressed, but I should like to ask if the Minister is aware that I am not asking that any of the existing staff should be diverted in this fashion. Surely it should be possible, without interfering with the normal running of the housing department, to make this information available? Surely it should be readily available? I do not see it as an insurmountable task to make this available on the basis of the different areas because as is well known to most people who have had any dealings with Dublin Corporation——
That is not a question.
——the housing problem is worse in the areas specified here than in most other parts of the city and the number of sub-tenants——
The Deputy is seeking to make a speech.
——runs into hundreds.
This information is not kept in this form in the corporation. Obviously, it can only be put into this form by diverting staff from some other work to make a detailed examination of applications and segregate them.
Otherwise, it could not apply to other houses when they become vacant.
I can only give the information given to me and it is not available in this form in the corporation.
We shall take the matter up after next week's holidays, on the Adjournment.
Yes.
The Deputy must be in favour with the Minister again.
The Deputy can explain that to you.
He is on a looser line with the Party.
We will get the data at the appropriate time.