asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the urgent need for houses in the area, he will immediately confirm the compulsory purchase order in respect of Coolgreaney, County Wexford.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Wexford CPOs.
37.
I will give my decision on this order as soon as possible.
38.
asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the urgent need for houses in the area, he will immediately confirm the compulsory purchase order in respect of Clonroche, County Wexford.
I will give my decision on this order as soon as possible.
Could the Minister say when that is likely to be?
I should say very quickly. In both cases the order was submitted for confirmation on 1st February, 1973, and there were objections. Both cases were heard on 28th June, 1973, and, by a peculiar system which I have inherited, the transcript of evidence given at the inquiry was not available in one case until 10th October and in the other case until the 19th November, I think.
I am not accusing the Minister of delay in these cases.
Just in case anybody might get the impression that there was delay on my part I have asked that these matters be brought to my desk as quickly as possible because of the fact that housing is involved.
My question was: could the Minister give an approximate indication of when a decision is likely to be made?
I am sorry; I should like to have it next week. I can ask to have it brought to me next week if that is physically possible, but because of the late submission of the transcript of evidence the inspector has to go through this before he can pass it on.
Is it likely to be a matter of weeks rather than months?
The Deputy may be assured that it will not be months.
Is the production of the transcript of evidence in practically all compulsory purchase order cases not protracted to the same degree as is indicated by the Minister in these two cases? Is that not more the practice than the exception?
It has been, but I am attempting to get around that by finding a different way of getting the transcript of evidence. Some cases have been held up over a year because of delay in getting the transcript. Nobody at ministerial level seemed to worry about dealing with this until now. I am surprised that Deputy Blaney did not do something about it in his time because it was worse then.
But the Minister has a solution now?
I hope I have a partial solution.