asked the Minister for Local Government what proposals there are for the provision of new houses by the Enniscorthy Urban District Council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wexford Housing.
36.
Under section 55 of the Housing Act, 1966, Enniscorthy Urban District Council have adopted a building programme under which they propose to erect a total of 122 houses and provide 16 developed sites for private dwellings in the period ending 31st March, 1971. Work is nearing completion, at present, on a scheme of 16 council houses, and is well advanced on the development of a site for 16 private dwellings. The council are in process of acquiring a site for approximately 96 dwellings.
37.
asked the Minister for Local Government what proposals there are for the provision of new houses by the New Ross Urban District Council.
Under section 55 of the Housing Act, 1966, New Ross Urban District Council have adopted a building programme under which they propose to erect a total of 172 houses and to provide 20 developed sites for private dwellings in the period ending the 31st March, 1971.
The council have a sixty-house scheme in progress which is nearing completion, have acquired sites for approximately 52 houses, and have formulated proposals for the compulsory acquisition of a further site for about 50 houses and 20 private sites. The National Building Agency Ltd. is building a scheme of 32 lowcost houses in the town which will be allocated to prospective purchasers in consultation with the housing authority.
38.
asked the Minister for Local Government what proposals there are for the provision of new houses by Wexford Corporation.
Under section 55 of the Housing Act, 1966, Wexford Corporation have adopted a building programme under which they propose to erect a total of 494 houses and provide 50 developed sites for private dwellings in the period ending the 31st March, 1971. The corporation have work in progress at present on a scheme of eighty-six houses; have 20 houses at tender; have plans in preparation for 162 dwellings; and have acquired additional sites for 300 dwellings.
Could the Minister inform us how many houses were built under the last Coalition Government?
I was not asked for that information.
Will the Minister try to ensure there will be continuity of employment on these houses in the various urban councils?
That is part of the reason these authorities were asked to prepare a building programme, and it is hoped that work will be continuous.
Will the Minister watch that aspect of it?
Yes, that will be taken into consideration, but I can only deal with proposals as they come to me.
Yes, but the Minister could go a little bit further. The late Tim Murphy, when he was Minister for Local Government, did that. Go back ten or 12 years.
He did not keep it going for ten years. The Government collapsed after 3 years.
Lord have mercy on him, he died in office.
39.
asked the Minister for Local Government what proposals there are for the provision of new houses by the Wexford County Council.
Under section 55 of the Housing Act, 1966, Wexford County Council have adopted a building programme under which they propose to erect a total of 361 houses in the period ending the 31st March, 1971.
Fifty-seven houses are in course of erection in Wexford County at present; schemes for the provision of 42 houses are at tender stage; sites have been acquired, and schemes are being planned for a further 48 houses by the housing authority; and additional sites have been acquired or are in process of acquisition for 106 dwellings. The National Building Agency Ltd. hope to have work started shortly on a scheme of 24 houses in Gorey, which will be allocated to prospective purchasers in consultation with the housing authority.
Has the Minister any information on the last three years of the Coalition Government?
I think the Minister ought to give Deputy Allen that information. He was at school during that period, but there were more houses built then by all those local authorities than are being built now.
Whether Deputy Allen was at school or not, I am sure he knows building collapsed at that time.
The dead hand of Fianna Fáil descended on the Department of Local Government.
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Allen says he is going to move the writ for the Wexford by-election.
40.
asked the Minister for Local Government the number of unfit houses in Wexford town which were demolished during the present calendar year by the Wexford Corporation.
I understand from the corporation that the number of unfit houses which they have demolished so far this year is 25.
41.
asked the Minister for Local Government the number of houses completed by the Wexford Corporation during the present calendar year.
The answer is 34.