andMr. Treacy asked the Minister for Local Government the meaning of the terms “agreed unit costs” and “block capital allocation” mentioned in circular 2/72 dated 11th February, 1972 addressed to all county council secretaries; and why he did not refer to these matters when replying to a parliamentary question on Thursday, 24th February, 1972.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Circular.
24.
I presume the Deputy is referring to my replies to supplementary questions asked by him to Question No. 54 of the 24th February, 1972. The capital allocation to which I referred in my reply to that question is the "block allocation" mentioned in Circular N.2/72.
The term "block allocation" means the amount which I will allocate to a county council to meet their expenditure in a financial year on the schemes of not more than six houses, and individual rural cottages.
The term "agreed unit cost" in the circular means the maximum cost per house or cottage which will be regarded as acceptable in an area. This cost will be agreed, in discussion, between officers of my Department and of each council. The new procedures outlined in the circular will apply to all schemes of not more than six houses and to all individual rural cottages on which no expenditure will have been incurred before 31st March, 1972. The old and new procedures may apply concurrently for a short interim period.
The Meath County Council 1970 agreement scheme, comprising at present 42 rural cottages, to which the Deputy referred in his supplementary question on 24th February, will be regarded as coming under the new procedure for tender purposes and my sanction to the tenders for these cottages will not now be necessary. As, however, the council have already applied for a separate loan to cover this scheme, their application will be allowed to stand and I hope to give a decision shortly on this loan application. This will clear the way for work on the cottages to be started—subject only to keeping the expenditure within the block allocation which I will make for the purpose.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree now that the Minister's replies to supplementary questions on Question No. 54 last Thursday gave a misleading impression inasmuch as the Minister implied that any group of three, four or five houses did not require the sanction of the Department? Deputy Tully asked if the Minister's reply meant that a scheme comprising 45 rural houses submitted in groups of three to five houses would not require sanction and the Minister replied "Yes." His reply was unequivocal. Does the reply now to the question today mean there are certain strings attached and that what the Minister said last Thursday is not actually the case?
No. The Minister's reply to Deputy Tully was quite correct. Meath County Council submitted an application for 45 individual cottages. If no expenditure is incurred on those before 1st April, then it will not be necessary to have tenders sanctioned by the Department. The work can be done out of the block allocation which will be notified to the Meath County Council. This applies to every county council.
Will permission have to be sought to build three or four houses?
No. If the number is less than six, or if they are individual rural cottages, it will not be necessary to get the Minister's sanction.
The Parliamentary Secretary uses the word "cottages". Would he tell me what is the difference between a house and a cottage?
If it pleases the Deputy, I will amend my nomenclature and call them houses.
We are sick and tired of this word "cottages". It is about time we discarded it.
There is a difference.
I want to know what difference.
The principal thing is to remember that the Government are providing more and more houses.
Then let us talk about houses.