asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that there is a number of families residing in Monkstown House, Monkstown, County Dublin; and if he will state the steps the corporation propose to take to provide proper housing accommodation for them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Monkstown House (Dublin) Families.
12.
Questions relating to the housing needs of individual families in Dún Laoghaire Borough are a matter for decision by the corporation with whom the Deputy might take up the position of families living in Monkstown House.
With regard to the general rehousing prospects of families in need of and awaiting rehousing by the corporation, I would draw the Deputy's attention to my replies to his Question No. 24 and supplementary questions on 16th December last. At 31st January, 1977, the corporation had 531 dwellings under construction, 85 at tender, 317 in planning and a reserve of 660 sites available for future construction. This compared with the position at the change of Government in March, 1973 when the corporation had no dwellings under construction or at tender, 154 schemes being planned and a reserve of 300 sites.
With regard to the families living in Monkstown House, will the Minister tell the House if he made any inquiries from the local authority regarding the reason for the delay in rehousing them? I should like to tell the Minister that on a number of occasions I and other Deputies of other political parties made inquiries with regard to those families. My reason for bringing this question to the attention of the Dáil is because of the urgency of the matter and the attempts by Deputies of all the parties to resolve the problem.
I appreciate that all Deputies in the area are anxious that the people be rehoused. I am sure Deputy Andrews will appreciate that it would be a mistake for somebody at national level to attempt to fix the housing problems of individual families. I am sure the Deputy is aware that there are only three families in flats in Monkstown House. The first family consists of a father, mother and a child aged nine years. They are living in a former conservatory which has very large windows. They have two bedrooms, a living room, kitchenette and a bathroom. They are on the corporation's list but are not deemed by them to be in overcrowded conditions. Therefore, prospects of rehousing are not bright. The second family were offered accommodation five years ago in Mountwood House, a block of corporation flats, but they refused the offer. In accordance with the usual procedure of the Dún Laoghaire Corporation in such cases, the family were taken off the waiting list. Accordingly, the housing authority have no up-to-date information on the present family circumstances. They will have to reapply if they want to be considered. The third family have not applied for rehousing. The housing authority have no official knowledge of the size of the family but it is believed to be a husband and wife.
The Monkstown Community Centre are the leaseholders of the house and they wish to expand their facilities for the community. Their expansion programme has been delayed owing to the presence of these three families in the house. I understand that we have to take account of the housing needs of the families concerned.
The first family are not considered to be in need of rehousing. The second family have been taken off the list because they have refused accommodation, and the third family have never applied for accommodation and would appear to have a low priority. I cannot do anything about the matter. It is mainly a matter for the families themselves and the Dún Laoghaire Corporation.