asked the Minister for Lands if his Department will have water and sewerage facilities installed in a house owned by his Department and occupied by a forestry worker (details supplied) in Monaghan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Monaghan Forestry Worker's House.
19.
(Cavan): The house in question is let on a repairing lease and my Department would not be prepared to incur expenditure on the provision of water and sewerage facilities.
Does the Minister not think it a wrong attitude of his Department not to provide those facilities, taking into account the fact that the person residing in that house, the father of a large family, has given good service to the Department of Lands for almost a lifetime? Does the Minister not think it very unfair that they do not provide those facilities?
(Cavan): I find that the policy in the Land Commission is that they do not provide houses for workers. This house was leased to the present tenant under a repairing lease for ten years at a low rent in 1954. On the expiration of that lease in 1964, the tenant applied for and was granted a further lease for ten years. Again, on the expiration of that lease this year apparently the tenant applied for and was granted a further extension. It is part of the terms of the lease since 1954 that the tenant would be responsible for repairs. Accordingly, it would not be possible for the Land Commission, for the Department of Lands, to make such facilities available.
Could they not overcome that? Is the Minister not aware that in this day and age it is ludicrous to have a house without water or sewerage facilities and that it would be a good investment for the Department? It would increase the value of the property. Do they not accept the responsibility of landlords?
(Cavan): The difficulty is that the tenant asked for and was granted a renewal of the lease this year when apparently the terms were fixed again.
This is a private tenant who has a lease on this house.
I am calling Question No. 20. I have given Deputy Leonard fair scope on this question.
(Interruptions.)
(Cavan): The Deputies over there can shout as long and as hard as they like.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 20.
(Cavan): They fixed the terms of this lease in 1954 and 1964.