asked the Minister for Local Government if he will take steps to ensure that the small farmers' housing scheme is utilised to the full by all local authorities; and if he will especially draw their attention to the spirit of the scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farmers' Housing Scheme.
21.
Under devolved procedures, it is for local authorities themselves to decide, within available resources, what houses they will build and for whom they will build them. There is, therefore, no up to date information in my Department as to the extent to which housing authorities are using the approved scheme for the rehousing of small farmers with land holdings of £5 valuation or less.
The Deputy will be aware, however, that I have particular interest in, and sympathy for, families in rural areas in real need of rehousing. He can rest assured that I will continue to encourage authorities to provide houses in rural areas for those who need them, including small farmers coming within the scheme. To enable local authorities to press on with their housing programme, £65 million has been provided in the public capital programme in 1976. I might add that the corresponding provision in 1972-73 was £25.38 million.
That still does not answer the question. Will the Minister inquire into the spirit in which this scheme is being operated? It was intended to cater for farmers with valuations of under £5 who, in some cases, are regarded by the managers as non-farmers. If they take casual work they are debarred from getting a house on their small holding. If they are useless and do nothing else, they can probably get it. This is working to the disadvantage of those small holdings for whom the scheme was intended, and who are up and doing and taking casual work as and when they get it. They are calculated to have earned more from their casual outside employment than they did from agriculture on their small holdings, as you would expect on a holding with a valuation of £5.
I do not know where the difficulty has arisen. Any local authorities who want to carry out the scheme can do so. I have encouraged them. I do not think the Deputy would suggest I should go down to Donegal and tell the county council what they should do.
The Minister should if necessary.
The Deputy is down there a good deal at present. If he feels some of his people are not being properly dealt with, he might remind the county council. I have encouraged the building of houses in rural areas. As the Deputy is well aware, I have allowed planning permissions in places where they were not previously allowed. Despite what is stated in the question, from my recent visits to Donegal I feel more small farmers' houses have been built over the past couple of years than have been built for some time. I was very pleased with what I saw down there.
Would the Minister cop on to the fact that there is a difference between an SI house and an SF house.
I know that.
Not all small isolated new council houses in County Donegal, or any other county, are necessarily under this scheme. It is not the elected representatives the Minister has to direct. It is the manager who must be directed in these matters and who should take direction from the Minister. He should be told to utilise the scheme for small farmers to a far greater degree.
I would not agree with Deputy Blaney. I do not believe in directing local authorities to do things which they are competent to do. Donegal is one of the counties which availed very much of this scheme. I would be delighted if they continued to do so, but I would not be prepared to tell Donegal County Council that they must continue to do so.
It is the manager who makes the decision.
I have received no complaints. If Deputy Blaney is aware of cases where Donegal County Council have refused to avail of this scheme, I will be glad if he will let me have a list of them and I will take it up with the council.
Dozens.
Let me have them.
I certainly will.