asked the Minister for Local Government the duties which the newly appointed Dublin Housing Director will assume on taking office.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Housing Director.
40.
I have agreed with the Dublin City and County Manager that the responsibilities which it is proposed to delegate to Mr. J.B. Molloy, Assistant City and County Manager, in his capacity as housing co-ordinator will be as follows:—
i. Organising and implementing the housing construction programmes in Dublin city and county and in the Borough of Dún Laoghaire, including the provision of new housing in central city areas.
ii. Acquisition of all land required for housing and ancillary purposes in the city, county and in the Borough of Dún Laoghaire.
iii. Identifying and remedying as far as possible (a) any factor which is likely to obstruct or delay housing output in these areas (b) any deficiencies in the services, including planning, water supply, drainage, roads, which are likely to cause delay in the production of housing in these areas.
iv. Surveying and taking appropriate steps for the conservation and improvement of the existing housing stock in the city, county and in the Borough of Dún Laoghaire.
Is it not a fact that while this reply sounds very good in actual fact the unfortunate official, a very efficient official, may I say, is being used by the Minister because of the fact that it looks——
The Deputy ought not to reflect on officials outside this House.
——as if he is not going to achieve the 25,000 houses and this man is going to be the "fall guy" for the Minister?
The Deputy ought not to refer in a disparaging manner to any public official in this House.
I did not. I referred to him as a very efficient man.
I would ask the Chair to request Deputy Burke to withdraw what he said about a very excellent official.
(Interruptions.)
You are using the man.
You are using him. I have praised him.
The official cannot be used by anybody. He has got a job to do. As late as yesterday evening he was with me and he is perfectly satisfied that he can do it despite what has been said by the people over there.
On a point of clarification, I praised the official as a hard-working official——
Left-handed praise.
The Chair has ruled on that matter. The Chair would prefer that officials would neither be praised nor blamed in the House.
I do not want to be acrimonious, but I would point out to the Minister that a short while ago here——
The Deputy is making a statement. Has the Deputy a precise supplementary question?
I want to ask one question. I do not know if the Minister is aware that this official will be completely inhibited or neutralised by the very fact that Dublin County Council is a separate planning authority and will his writ run on planning matters in that area?
His writ will run where it is required to have houses built in Dublin county, Dublin city and Dún Laoghaire borough.
I would remind the House that the time for Questions has expired. The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to raise on the Adjournment the question of the misleading information given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in reply to Questions Nos. 24 to 27 on last Tuesday, 23rd October.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.