I propose, with your permission a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 63 and 64 together.
Under section 63 of the Housing Act, 1966, a house is deemed to be overcrowded when the number of persons ordinarily sleeping in the house are such that any two persons, being persons of ten years of age or more, of opposite sexes and not being husband and wife, must sleep in the same room; or when the free air space, in any room used as a sleeping apartment, for any person is less than 400 cubic feet. The interpretation of this definition in relation to approved schemes of letting priorities is a matter for the individual housing authority who may amend their schemes from time to time, with my approval.
Under Dublin Corporation's scheme of letting priorities, first priority within the general overcrowding category is given to the largest family who are overcrowded on a sex basis, second priority is given to a family of similar size which is overcrowded on the basis of the free air space of sleeping apartments. Families who are not overcrowded on the statutory basis are offered housing when all the families in the next lower group, who are so overcrowded, have been offered housing.
It is thus possible that a family living in one room may be accorded a lower priority than a family of similar size in two or three rooms because the division of the available space into rooms may result in the sleeping quarters being overcrowded in the statutory sense.
It is not correct to say that under the corporation's present letting scheme a family of three has no prospect of being rehoused in the foreseeable future. The scheme provides for first, second and third priorities to be accorded in turn to persons displaced from dangerous buildings, persons displaced by corporation development works, or persons living in dwellings subject to closing or demolition orders. Families of three persons in these categories are offered housing accommodation in their order of priority. A large number of families of three persons have, in fact, been rehoused by the corporation since the hand-over of the flats in Ballymun commenced in March, 1967.
I am satisfied that the present statutory definition of overcrowding works out reasonably in practice and I do not think that the introduction of legislation to amend this definition is necessary.
