I sought permission to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 3 on today's Order Paper to highlight the position in relation to the lack of housing for industrial workers in north Mayo, particularly those living in the triangle of Ballina, Crossmolina and Killala. In this area, because of the major industrial development, there is an urgent need for houses for industrial workers who will be employed in the coming nine months in the Hollister enterprise located near Ballina, the Asahi complex near Killala, by the expansion of the Shamrock Forge and Tool Company and the continued wellbeing of Mayco Limited in Ballina. Another reason why I raise this is to discover which Minister is responsible for housing these workers. For a considerable time nobody appears to take on the responsibility for housing these workers.
In the course of his reply to a supplementary question from me today the Minister stated:
I am not responsible for the rehousing of people except those who are rehoused under the schemes by local authorities. I suggest that the Deputy take up the matter elsewhere. It is not my responsibility.
At an earlier date when I raised this matter with another Minister I received a similar reply. The Minister for Industry and Commerce stated in a reply to a question of mine in which I asked him to provide funds for houses for industrial workers in the north Mayo area:
As the Deputy no doubt appreciates, the provision of housing generally and of Exchequer capital therefor are not matters which fall directly within my area of responsibility and I have no funds at my disposal for the provision of housing for employees in industry.
I understand, however, from the Industrial Development Authority that in view of the necessity to cater for the immediate urgent housing needs of the executive and key workers in certain new industries in Ballina/Killala area, the authority have, as a special measure, made arrangements for the provision of a number of houses for these personnel.
The houses referred to in the course of that reply are being built by private contractors and financed by the IDA. The idea is that the IDA will sell these houses back to the executives and the staff. Approximately 50 are being erected. The question being asked in that area is why the same facilities are not being made available for the ordinary industrial worker. It is felt that because the executives and the staff will have higher salaries they should be able to provide houses for themselves. The following examples will give the Minister some idea of the size of the problem. Asahi are the biggest of the industries concerned; they are probably the largest in Connacht. The personnel departments of that industry estimate that they will need 650 workers in the coming nine months.
Of the 650, Asahi feel that because of the special skills needed they will have to take approximately 300 from outside Mayo, and they feel from past experience and the general type of age structure of those workers, that at least 130 of them will be married and because of that, in need of housing. They are convinced that the whole future development and planning of the industry will stand or fall on those men and that they will not be able to attract those men to the area unless there is housing for them, because the vast majority of them will already have jobs and houses and will not feel inclined to leave good accommodation to come to an area where they will have to get, if they can be found, and they are not available at the moment, some sort of digs or lodgings.
It has been suggested that perhaps the company themselves ought to provide the housing since it appears their whole future development would stand or fall on the provision of houses for the majority of their workers. There are numerous reasons why this is not so, one of them involving the right of the individual to change a job if he or she decides to do so. If they were living in houses constructed by the company, I suggest that their freedom of choice would be considerably limited because if they decided to move it would mean they would have to vacate the houses if they were company property. Another reason is that the company have already made a sizeable contribution, in the region of £1 million, to the provision of a regional water scheme, being constructed now, to give them a supply of water.
Of the remaining 450 workers, 50 will be housed in NBA schemes which are in progress now. The balance, 400, will be taken from the immediate area or they will be able to commute. Quite a number of them will have returned from England or from other parts of the country to work in the construction of the factory which is now in progress. Many are living with parents and there are instances of two or three families living in each house. This has been the finding of a survey carried out by the Killala Community Council on behalf of the North Mayo and West Sligo Development Association.
At the moment there are 50 families living in caravans within a three- or four-mile radius of Killala. Many of them have come back from England or from other parts of this country where they already had housing accommodation. Many have two or three children and most of the mothers are worrying continuously about the possibility of serious accidents to their children who have been used to ordinary housing conditions and who will now be able to turn on gas taps and light switches. There are no toilet facilities or running water in these caravans. They are lacking in most modern amenities. Twenty other caravans contain two or three men each, many of whom will soon be getting married and will then be in need of rehousing.
The Taoiseach recently paid a visit to Ballina. He had many glowing comments on the industry and wished everyone well. He received a deputation from the association who stressed the urgency of the housing needs and told him of their concern. The deputation represented all political affiliations in the area and in the past 18 months the members have been making a study of the needs in the area. The Taoiseach promised them he would discuss this matter with the Government, but so far no decision has been communicated to the association.
I had a second question on the Order Paper which is related to the one now being discussed. The Minister in his reply asked me if I expected all the finance to be made available in 1976. I do not.
