asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the critical position that small builders in the Dublin region now find themselves in owing to the fact that the local authorities have purchased all the serviced sites in the area; and if he will take steps to have suitable sites made available to these builders so that they may be entitled to carry on their businesses and provide continuity of employment for their workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Housing Sites.
27.
The rapid rate of private and local authority house building in the Dublin area where more than 25,000 dwellings have been provided in the present and last five financial years has resulted in the danger of a shortage of serviced land for building arising in some parts of the area. To ensure that this shortage does not, in fact, materialise I have encouraged the Dublin local authorities to undertake a special programme for the provision of services in additional areas and also for the execution as soon as possible of sanitary services schemes to serve further large areas.
Sites resulting from the provision of additional services and as a result of the special site subsidy introduced by me are being made available for private building. I may add that, as I indicated last September to the Federation of Builders, Contractors and Allied Employers, Dublin Corporation have said that they will consider making land available in the Dublin area for private housing to small builders who require sites and cannot get them and discussions between the corporation and the federation have already taken place on the matter.
Is the Minister not aware that for some time past these small builders have not been able to get land because of this large-scale purchasing—which I believe is the right thing—and can the Minister say when land will be offered to them by the corporation or the county council? There are a lot of them out of business.
Part of the purpose of the acquisition of these lands is so that sites can be made available at reasonable prices to small builders and private individuals. There have already been discussions between the corporation and the federation on the matter.
Nothing has been happening.
I think the discussions are proceeding satisfactorily and these sites will be available in the very near future.