asked the Minister for Local Government if his Department's sanction was necessary for the recent decision to increase by 4p per room all fixed and A-scale rents on Dublin Corporation dwellings.
26.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Corporation Rents.
25.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has sanctioned an increase under the A-scale differential rent scheme in Dublin Corporation dwellings on maximum rent.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 26 together.
Local authorities are not required to obtain sanction to increases in fixed rents or to increases in the maxima of differential rent scales of up to 25p a week in any year to meet increases in maintenance, administration, insurance and other costs in relation to the houses concerned and for which the authority are liable.
Could I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if the Minister's sanction was necessary for the increase of 4p, which is leading to the rent strike this evening?
No.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary suggest to his Minister that the Minister might intervene at this eleventh hour to discuss this matter with the National Association of Tenant Organisations so that this strike might be averted?
If the strike deals with this question of increases which the local authority can arrive at and for which Ministerial sanction is not required, it is a matter for the local authority and therefore I do not think the Minister should intervene.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not think the regular increases would still not require Ministerial sanction, but at the same time by virtue of the fact that the 25 per cent increase can be made the Minister can evade responsibility for it? This is what is implied in this recent increase.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the basis of this increase is increased costs in respect of maintenance and wages? The Minister must be aware that over the past 20 years the only maintenance that has taken place in most houses in the Dublin Corporation area is, at the very most, two to three paintings of the houses. Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the 4p per room, which is 12p per house, is put on by the corporation in an attempt to make profit out of the tenants of corporation dwellings? The basis of the increase is maintenance and there is no maintenance worth talking about done in corporation houses.
No. The Deputy is right in mentioning maintenance as being one of the factors which give rise to increased costs, but as well as maintenance there are administrative, insurance and other costs.
The Corporation of Dublin have notified tenants in the different categories to whom this increase will apply that the increase is due to maintenance and wages and there is no reference whatever to the other elements. It is a disgraceful state of affairs that maintenance is not enjoyed by the tenants of these houses although maintenance costs are included.
In view of the decision which has been taken by one man in Dublin Corporation and which is causing this major rent strike, would the Parliamentary Secretary not think it imperative to move in immediately and have the matter submitted to independent arbitration? This should be done urgently and not left to one bureaucrat who will make the final decision without consultation with the organisation which represents the tenants of Dublin Corporation. There is no appeal to the Minister or to anyone else in this case. In the circumstances, would he not move in as a matter of urgency and do something about it?
That is a separate question.
It is not a separate question. It is a question of a bureaucrat taking a decision without reference to the Minister or anyone else.
Is the Deputy raising this matter on the Adjournment this evening?
Yes.
Then the Deputy might wait until it is called.