asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that despite the encouragement given by him to local authorities to make special provision to house refugees from Northern Ireland, Dublin Corporation has taken no action in this matter and has stated in reply to a query that there is no proposal in hand at the moment to amend the scheme of priorities although the fact that the members of the city council have been removed from office does not create a legal obstacle to amend the scheme; and whether he has communicated further with Dublin Corporation in this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing of Northern Refugees.
21.
I am not so aware. In my reply to the Deputy's Question No. 84 of 16th July, 1971, on the subject, I indicated that I would consider sympathetically any proposal which housing authorities might make to amend their schemes of letting priorities so as to modify the operation of any residency clause in their schemes, to help refugees from Northern Ireland or for other purposes. No such proposals have been submitted to me. The operation of the special emergency provisions in schemes, which were referred to in my earlier reply, is a matter solely for the housing authorities and information as to any such action by Dublin Corporation has not been submitted to my Department. I am, however, seeking the views of the corporation as to the extent of the problem and what action, if any, can be taken by them, to help in a solution.
Those facts are taken from a letter from the city manager to me. I know that quotations would be out of order but I can assure the Parliamentary Secretary that I have stated merely what was in that letter. In view of the fact that the city council were suspended by the Minister for Local Government of the time and since there is no legal obstacle to changing the priority scheme and since there are refugees here from Northern Ireland who are living in appalling conditions because they cannot be put on the housing list as a result of no action having been taken, would the Parliamentary Secretary take immediate action? I know of one man who, for himself his wife and daughter, has an income from social welfare of £7.80 per week but who is paying a private rent of £9.80, per week this having been increased recently from £9.50 because of the increase in the rates. He must live on the charity of his other daughters who are at work. These are the conditions in which our refugees are because of the refusal of the commissioner appointed by the Minister to do what he is entitled to do in law and what the Minister has indicated he would like done. Would the Minister take immediate action now to deal with this matter which arises from the ministerial suspension of the city council?
What Deputy FitzGerald has said is true but, of course, any couple who have only one child will find that there is no hope at all of obtaining a flat or a dwelling of any kind from Dublin Corporation, regardless of whether they are from the North or South.
That is true but in this particular case there are four daughters in the family but one of those is non-earning.
There is nothing to prevent any local authority——
The local authority have been abolished in this case.
So far I do not know of any local authority that have availed of their right of waiver of conditions in cases such as this or, indeed, in other emergency cases. However, they can do this and the final statement in the reply indicates the Minister's position.
Would not the Parliamentary Secretary agree that since the city council have been abolished they cannot take any action; that nobody can take action except the city commissioner? He has refused to do so.
It is the same situation as that of Deputy Blaney and the funds.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that there is need now to review the system of letting priorities which are outmoded?
That is a separate matter. The question deals with refugees.
It is relevant to what Deputy FitzGerald said.
It is relevant. The position is that the city commissioner is refusing to take any action on any priorities. He is refusing to do his duty in the matter.
It is not necessary to have the letting priorities altered. There is provision and power with the local authority to do what the Deputy advocates.
With the city manager?
Yes.
Deputies O'Connell and FitzGerald are confused on this issue. What the northern refugees want it temporary accommodation and I suggest that temporary accommodation for those people could be effected very quickly. There is nothing to stop the corporation——
There is no corporation.
——from ignoring their priorities so as to accommodate refugees. They have done so before. It is temporary accommodation these people want. They do not want houses or flats.
There is no question of temporary accommodation but I want to reply to the Parliamentary Secretary's reply by saying that Dublin Corporation say:
I wish to inform you that all corporation dwellings are let strictly in accordance with a scheme of priorities.
That is what the city manager said, and there is no room for departure from it, and obviously the city manager and the city commissioner must be misinformed if what the Parliamentary Secretary says is right.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary discuss it with the city commissioner?
Yes.
It is about time.