andMr. Moore asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that it appears from the terms of circular letter N4/76 issued by his Department on the 27th February, 1976, to housing authorities that no more money will be allocated during 1976 in respect of local authority housing construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Housing.
1.
I am not so aware. The letter which was issued by my Department on 27th February, 1976, notified housing authorities that although the overall resources being made available for the local authority housing construction programme in 1976 represent an increase of more than 20 per cent over those provided in 1975, the high level of commitments, especially in respect of work in progress, and the demands of the rapidly expanding Dublin city programme, required to meet the urgent housing needs of more than 5,000 families, have restricted the amounts that can be made available for new work to be started elsewhere before the end of September. The authorities were informed specifically that it was my intention to review the level of expenditure and output on the programme later in the year and that additional allocations may then be made for new work to be started in the last quarter of the year.
I am glad to inform the House that the very substantial increase in the resources that have been made available to me in the public capital programme for local authority housing in 1976 will permit of a further expansion in the Dublin Corporation's programme. The limited delay that will arise in consequence in the start of some new work elsewhere is the relatively small price that must be paid to allow the expansion of the Dublin city's programme to a level of activity commensurate with the urgency and size of the housing needs of the area.
Is the Minister aware that the local authorities have been informed of a capital allocation for local authority housing construction which, in many cases, is sufficient to allow them to start only a small proportion of housing schemes for which tenders have already been accepted and that no money is being allocated for new houses?
I am not so aware. As I told the Deputy and the House, I have allocated a very substantial amount. The matter is being reviewed in June and a further allocation will be considered if it is necessary. It is only right to point out that the amount last year was £63.2 million and this year it is £75.5 million. In 1972-73 it was £25.38 million. We are now giving exactly three times as much as three years ago.
The Minister is very well aware of the fact that to take figures without referring to inflation means nothing. The actual amount of money being made available is less in real terms than it was previously.
A question please, Deputy.
The Minister stated that there is an overall increase of 20 per cent. He is well aware that, in relation to very many of the local authorities, as I have already stated, there is not even sufficient money——
I am sorry to interrupt the Deputy but we must proceed by way of supplementary question. The Deputy is making a speech.
I am asking the Minister is he aware that the amount of money being allocated to very many of the local authorities is not sufficient even to finance the housing schemes for which tenders have already been accepted.
The Deputy has already asked that question.
I did not get a reply.
It is only right to point out to Deputy Faulkner that, in addition to the amount of money, the number of houses counts too. The number of houses completed at 31st March, 1973, on the Opposition's own claim, was 21,500. We have been building over an average of 25,000 houses, so there must be a relation between the amount of money being given and the number of houses being built. In addition to that, Deputy Faulkner cannot blame me if there was a back-log of people waiting for houses over 15 or 16 years. We are trying to catch up with them but we cannot build them all in two or three years.
Is the Minister aware that, in the last year of the Fianna Fáil Administration, the number of houses built was an increase of 6,000 over the previous year? The Minister claims to have increased it by 4,000 in the following year but, since then, there has been practically no increase.
Deputy Faulkner is talking a lot of nonsense and he knows it. The reason the figure was 6,000 over the previous year was that they held over 2,000 from the previous year because there was no money to pay the grants. In fact, the increase was 4,000. It does not matter what the increase was. It was an increase from a very low base. The fact is that we said we would build 25,000 houses and we have exceeded it every year over the past three years. There is no getting away from that. There are now 78,000 people in new houses who were not in new houses when we took over three years ago.
It is only during the Minister's term of office that there is no money.
Question No. 2. We cannot dwell unduly long on any one question.
Let me once again ask the Minister if he is aware—I did not get a reply to this—that, in relation to many local authorities, the allocation is not sufficient to build the schemes of houses for which tenders have already been accepted.
I am afraid we are having repetition. Repetition is not in order at Question Time.
May I ask the Minister what is his advice to the local authorities on tenders accepted or tenders in course of being submitted for sanction? What is his advice to them in the immediate future as to what they should do? Should they hold on to them or can they take it that they will not be able to do anything further about them this year?
The advice they have been getting over the past three years is that they should not put for tender houses which have not been okayed by the Department. My advice still stands. If they have houses for tender which they consider are needed—and some of them have houses for tender which are not needed—the question of financing them will be seriously considered in the second allocation this year if they have not got it in the first allocation.
One supplementary.
It must be a very brief question. We have dwelt at length on this question and we want to make some progress on other questions as well.
Is the Minister aware that the allocation to be made later this year by his Department will only allow a start to be made and this will mean that people in need of re-housing will not be housed this year? Further, is he aware that work on only 40 new houses approximately will be commenced this year in a number of large housing authorities? Is he aware that there is a departure in the financing of housing by the Department in that the capital allocation for NBA housing is to be paid for out of the allocation to local authorities, that previous to this there was a separate allocation for NBA housing?
First, the Deputy should know that a house must be started before it is finished. I cannot do anything about it until the foundations are put in and the walls are built up to roof level. Those houses that will be started in the second half of this year—other than isolated cottages— will not be finished in 1976 but they will be finished in 1977. The Deputy is making a slight mistake with regard to NBA houses. The houses he is referring to are those that were ordered by the IDA for industrial workers. Money for NBA houses that were built for local authorities were paid for out of local authority funds. This was the practice in the past and it will continue.
We are going ahead with the building of——
The Deputy should rise in his place if he has a question to put.
In view of the Minister's speech in Limerick when he opened de Valera Park and his remarks here today, are we to take it that they negative or qualify the circular? May Dublin Corporation look forward to a massive, further allocation later in the year?
I would not deem myself able to understand what interpretation the Deputy would put on my letter. Therefore, I cannot answer his first question. As far as a massive, further allocation of money is concerned, does the Deputy not know that whereas last year Dublin Corporation got slightly more than £11 million, this year they are getting £23 million, 46 per cent of the money that is being given for the entire country? That is why the Deputy's colleagues are complaining that not enough money is being given to other areas.
In Limerick the Minister stated that other local authorities would have to take their place behind Dublin, that Dublin must be catered for.
He was playing to the gallery.
I accept the Minister's word if he is saying that he is putting Dublin in front——
This is leading to argument. I am calling Question No. 2.
Is Deputy Moore against Dublin?
What I said last week was that because of the demands from Dublin and because I felt they were entitled to a massive injection— I had to reduce the amount of money to the rest of the country. I gave that massive injection to Dublin. If the Deputy is complaining that it is too much, perhaps he would say so and we will get some of it back.
I have called Question No. 2.
Will Dublin Corporation be given some money to buy land so that more houses may be built?
They are getting £23 million.
The Minister is not taking account of inflation.
The 20 per cent mentioned by the Minister meant nothing and he has proved it now.
I have called Question No. 2 on several occasions.