andMr. R. Burke asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that the number of loan applications received by Dublin County Council during the period April/August 1969 was 308; and that during the same period in 1970 this number was reduced to 78 due as far as can be ascertained to the increase in the cost of houses, the static income limit of £1,200 and loan limit of £3,000; and, if so, what adjustments he proposes to make in order to enable people in County Dublin to purchase their own houses.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin County Council Housing.
57.
Statistics relating to the operation of the local authority house purchase loans scheme are available on a quarterly basis. In the two quarters ended 30th September, 1970, 86 applications for house purchase loans were received by Dublin County Council in comparison with 407 in the corresponding period last year. This trend in applications may be due to many reasons, including the increase in the number of house purchasers in the county who can obtain loans from commercial agencies. In this connection, grant allocations by my Department for new private houses in County Dublin increased from 631 in the period 1st April to 30th September, 1969, to 2,370 in the corresponding period this year.
I would refer the Deputies to my replies to Question No. 115 on 5th instant and Question No. 56 today on the subjects of house prices and the maximum loan and income limits prescribed for the local authority house purchase loans scheme.
Does the Minister not agree that this is the lamest reply to a specific question that has ever been heard in this House?
I do not agree.
Is it not a fact that in the question attention is being drawn to the fact that 308 loan applications were received last year and this number was reduced to 78 this year, and this is due entirely to the loan ceiling of £3,000? The people simply cannot find the enormous deposit now required for a £6,000 house. I would ask the Minister to take a serious look at this because it means that the local authority loan cannot be availed of by these people.
I am not completely satisfied that the point the Deputy is making can be justified. It is true that there has been a tremendous increase in the cash flow into building societies this year. In the year ending 30th June, 1970, it had gone to £11.6 million compared with £4 million the previous year.
Because of the bank strike.
There is a much greater tendency now on the part of house purchasers to avail of the finance facilities of the building societies. I am not yet convinced that the trends which the Deputy says exist do, in fact, exist, but I will keep a close eye on this matter.
May I ask the Minister where he expects people to get the balance over and above the £3,000 loan? Does he consider that an income of £1,200 is a realistic figure? Is the Minister not pushing people back on local authority houses or on caravans all over the place?
No, I do not think so and the £3,000 limit only applies to the local authority loan scheme; it does not apply to building societies at all.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 58.
There is no shortage of money at all. The Deputy is all wrong. There is no shortage of money to Dublin Corporation for loan purposes. If that is the point the Deputy is trying to make he is quite wrong.
Will the Minister state what building society will grant a loan to a person with £1,200 per annum?
That would be a separate question.
Sin ceist eile ar fad.
The Minister is just not able to answer it.
It is driving people into caravans all over the place.
58.
asked the Minister for Local Government the reasons why his Parliamentary Secretary granted the appeal by a firm (name supplied) against the refusal of Dublin County Council of their application for a proposed housing development at Woodley Park, Kilmacud, County Dublin.
I understand that Dublin County Council at their meeting held on 22nd October, 1970, decided under section 30 of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, to revoke the permission granted for the development referred to by the Deputy and have served notice accordingly on the developers. There is a right of appeal to me against the decision within a specified period which has not yet expired. In view of the fact that this right of appeal may be exercised it would not be appropriate for me to make any comment on the matter at this stage.
In the event of an appeal being made by the particular developer may I have an assurance from the Minister, in view of the quite disgraceful decision made by the previous Parliamentary Secretary in this matter of granting permission on appeal, that he will expedite that decision immediately because development has already commenced in that particular area and now there is a coach-and-four being driven through the 1963 Act? Will the Minister expedite a decision if he gets an appeal from the developer?
I have no comment to make on this matter at this time.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.