asked the Minister for the Environment if he will institute a programme for the reorganising and modernisation of Dublin Corporation housing stock, particularly in the inner city area, thereby improving the quality of living conditions and providing much-needed employment in the area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Corporation Housing Stock.
22.
The implementation of the programme for the reorganisation and modernisation of their housing stock is primarily a matter for Dublin Corporation who are responsible for the maintenance, improvement and management of their housing estate.
Is the Minister aware that there is need for a major programme of reorganisation and modernisation of Dublin Corporation's housing stock? In view of the fact that this year's allocation to Dublin Corporation for housing was reduced, would the Minister be willing to consider an application from the corporation for a substantial sum of money to invest in a much-needed programme of renewal of housing stock in the city area?
I should like to inform the Deputy that the allocation was not reduced but increased.
I should like to point out that the Deputy's supplementary question is merely a repetition of the original question.
I asked if the Minister would facilitate the corporation if they asked for the money.
This is time consuming.
Will the Minister give the corporation more money to do what is necessary if they ask for it?
When available.
23.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is satisfied that the ownership of land by Dublin Corporation within the Dublin city boundary of approximately 70 acres in total for housing purposes is adequate to meet future demand; and, if not, the plans he has with respect to helping Dublin Corporation to fulfil the expected needs.
According to the latest progress report submitted to me, Dublin Corporation have acquired, or have available, sites for 15,756 dwellings, including 2,420 within the Dublin city boundary. In common with other housing authorities, they have been authorised to acquire land which is needed for their on-going housing construction programme by way of overdraft or temporary borrowing, and to recoup the cost, including appropriate holding charges, in the normal way from their capital allocation as part of the cost of their new housing schemes.
It is a matter for the corporation themselves to decide the extent of such acquisitions within the city boundaries, or elsewhere, having regard to the requirements of their housing construction programme. The corporation adopted this programme, which includes their central city redevelopment programme, having regard to their accumulated housing needs and anticipated future demand. I am satisfied that the corporation are competent to make the necessary decisions and take any necessary action within available capital resources, which this year represent an increase of about 9 per cent on the generally acknowledged generous level of their 1977 capital allocation. I am also hopeful that their housing problem will be substantially eased by the current upsurge in new building and reconstruction in the private sector which has been stimulated by the increased financial aids provided by the Government.
May I ask the Minister if he sees the difficulty the local authority are in in having a relatively small land bank within the city boundary and if, therefore, he accepts the inevitability of a great number of families having to leave the city to take up residence well outside the city boundary in view of the five-and-a-half thousand people presently on the waiting list.
I am aware that this is happening and that the corporation are building houses outside their area. Any worth-while proposals that the corporation put forward will be considered by me, as I recently informed a deputation from the corporation.
Am I to take it that if there is a request for finance to acquire more land or a request to review the compulsory purchase order legislation to ensure that the corporation can get land more rapidly, the Minister will be sympathetic to both requests?
The corporation have the statutory right to apply a CPO to any property. With regard to the purchase of sites, the corporation have been informed that they can do so by way of overdraft, which can be recouped from me in due course when the proposal for the particular housing scheme is being considered.
Am I to take it that the Minister is reviewing CPO legislation with a view to tightening it?
In answer to an earlier question I said that we were examining it.
May I ask the Minister if he is happy that a 9 per cent increase in the capital allocation to Dublin Corporation is sufficient in view of the fact that the inflation rate in housing costs in the first six months of his administration was more than 20 per cent?
I would be happy if I could have increased it to 90 per cent, as the Deputy said, but I was unable to do so.
(Cavan-Monaghan): It is not hard to make the Minister happy when he is happy with the toilet situation in Dublin city.
Can the Minister assure us that there will not be a decrease in the housing output of Dublin Corporation this year?
I hope there will not be a decrease in the number of houses. The corporation received one third of the total national allocation this year.
Is the Minister not aware that the 9 per cent increase is less than half the percentage increase in housing costs in six months? Does it not naturally follow that there will be a decrease in local authority housing?
I made 9 per cent more capital available to Dublin Corporation this year and I expect that they will at least equal the number of houses they built last year.
I want to ask the Minister——
Would the Deputy please resume his seat?
The Minister did not answer the question.
I am asking the Deputy to please resume his seat.
This is very important.
No matter how important it is the Deputy will resume his seat and let the House proceed to the next question.
I appreciate you are being very generous today but——
Question No. 24.