asked the Minister for Local Government the total by way of subsidy paid by his Department for Dublin Corporation tenancy houses and flats in the past year to the latest available date; the average amount of subsidy per house; and what percentage of the cost of each dwelling this represents.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Housing Subsidies.
28.
The cost of keeping rents of Dublin Corporation dwellings low in 1969-70 was about £3,800,000 of which £1,900,000 came from the Exchequer. Rent income in the same year was about £2,600,000. The average subsidy per dwelling was about £78, borne in approximately equal proportions by my Department and the rates. The total subsidy represented an average of about 59 per cent of the total running costs of corporation housing in the year in question.
Would the Minister state the percentage of the cost of each dwelling that this represents? Did the Minister just say the "running cost"?
The total subsidy represented an average of about 59 per cent of the total running costs of corporation housing in the year in question.
I seem to be dense about this. It does not make sense to me at the moment.
I have gone as near as I can to answering the question the Deputy asked.
Would the Minister be able to tell me the average cost of a dwelling?
That is not the question the Deputy asked.
The Minister's answer is such as not to provide proper information at all. I think he is evading the issue, talking about the running cost; I am talking about the purchase price of a corporation dwelling.
I think the Deputy is perfectly correct. The first part of the question asks the total by way of subsidy paid by the Minister's Department for Dublin Corporation tenancy houses...by way of subsidy. It was obviously not the running subsidy.
The Minister has not answered the question. Surely he must know?
(Interruptions.)
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.