asked the Minister for Local Government the number of houses planned by Dublin Corporation for construction in each of the next five years.
29.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Corporation Housing.
28.
asked the Minister for Local Government the number of flats planned by Dublin Corporation for construction in each of the next five years.
30.
asked the Minister for Local Government when Dublin Corporation may expect to complete the housing of all those at present on the housing list.
31.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he considers that the present housing programme of Dublin Corporation is adequate having regard to the number of families at present on the housing list.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 29, 30 and 31 together.
Housing authorities generally were required by the Housing Act, 1966, to assess their housing needs and prepare building programmes, initially for a period to be specified by the Minister, and subsequently at least once in every five years. The period ending 31st March, 1971, was specified by me as the initial period. Dublin Corporation's present housing programme, which was adopted by them in October, 1967, therefore, relates to that period. Further programmes will be adopted by them in due course in respect of subsequent years. Their statutory assessment of housing needs dated 1st July, 1967, indicated a net need, allowing for vacancies, for new units of accommodation to be provided under a building programme for the period to 31st March, 1971, of 17,219 dwellings. Their building programme for that period proposes the provision of 12,240 houses and 5,674 flats — a total of 17,914 units. Separate figures for each year of the programme are not available.
Between the date of their needs assessment, and the 30th September, 1968, the corporation had rehoused 3,261 families and provided 112 purchase houses or private sites. At 30th September, 1968, under their programme of dwellings for renting, they had work in progress or ready to be started on 2,901 dwellings, had schemes in formulation for 2,800 dwellings on acquired sites, and were in process of acquiring sites for 5,030 dwellings. Under their purchase houses/private sites programme they had work in progress on 636 dwellings or sites; had schemes at tender or in formulation for 1,275 houses or sites, and had acquired additional land for 7,000 houses or sites. The gross total of these figures amounts to 23,015 dwellings or sites. This figure will be supplemented by further dwellings, estimated to be not less than 1,800, which may become available for letting before March, 1971, through casual vacancies, in the corporation's existing housing estate, on the basis of their present average rate of vacancies.
The corporation are at present carrying out a full revision of their approved waiting list on the basis of their new scheme of letting priorities under the Housing Act, 1966. This revision will not be completed for some time. There were 5,437 families on the approved waiting list when it was revised last December. In the period between last December and 30th September, 1968, a total of 1,968 dwellings became available to them for letting. The corporation have, I understand, recently estimated that they will complete a total of 5,417 new dwellings within a two year period from the 30th September, 1968. On this basis, and taking into account casual vacancies which will continue to arise in the existing housing estate, all families on their present approved waiting list should have been offered suitable accommodation well within that period.
No housing programme can be considered adequate while any family is compelled to live in bad housing conditions. Having regard, however, to the practical limitations on what the corporation can do at any one time, I consider that the housing programme adopted by them in October, 1967, will, if fully and vigorously implemented by them, enable families on their approved waiting list as revised last December to be offered suitable accommodation within a relatively short period, make reasonable provision for other accumulated needs, and make substantial inroads on the new demands which will arise during the remaining period of the programme.