asked the Minister for Local Government if his Department refused in 1970 to sanction the payment of the site subsidy to housing authorities in respect of reasonably priced sites to be provided for private housing; and, if so, if he will state the housing authorities concerned, the number of sites, the total average cost of providing and developing the sites, the estimated amount of site subsidy refused and the reason for refusal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Site Subsidies.
95.
The subsidy referred to by the Deputy is payable under the Housing Act, 1966 as a contribution towards the annual loan charges incurred by a housing authority in providing developed sites for private housing. In the case of one housing authority, Dublin County Council, an application for site subsidy in respect of 20 purchase-type houses was refused because the subsidy is not payable in respect of sites on which houses are built under contract with a local authority. The estimated cost of the sites was £20,000 and the annual subsidy would have amounted to about £320 for 20 years.
Does the Minister appreciate the significance of this situation? Does he realise the only reason why the council started to build those houses themselves was because of the experience they had of the slowness of individuals to build their own houses, that it is possible to get houses built cheaper in this way and it is completely wrong to deprive them of the subsidies?
Under the system which operates the subsidy is only available for people who build their own houses on those serviced sites provided by the corporation and by local authorities.
Is the Minister aware that the county council have decided to ask him to receive a deputation to discuss this thing because I believe if he was fully informed——
I am aware, in regard to what the Deputy said in his first supplementary, that people are slow to build their own houses and I have known of cases where they waited two years after getting the serviced site.
It is discouraging to take away the subsidy.
I do not know whether that is the answer to it but we will have another look at it.