asked the Minister for the Environment if he will grant a reduction in the rent, under the differential rent scheme, to all the tenants of the low cost National Building Agency housing schemes in Tipperary and Cahir, County Tipperary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary NBA Housing Schemes.
7.
The national differential scheme was evolved after consultation with representatives of local authorities and of the National Association of Tenants Organisations. Any departure from its terms to effect a reduction in rent payable by tenants of any particular housing scheme would be contrary to the principle of means-related or differential renting on which it is based and would not be justified.
However, I might add that the scheme provides that a local authority may, in cases of exceptional hardship, accept from a tenant for a specified period a lower rent than that required under the scheme.
I am sure the Minister is aware that these houses are now regarded as substandard having been built by his colleague, Deputy Molloy, without chimneys. The tenants in Tipperary and Cahir find it impossible to meet the exorbitant cost of electricity. As a concession to enable those tenants meet the cost of heating those houses I was anxious that the Minister give them a reduction in their differential rents.
Local authorities can make provision for reducing rents because of the circumstances of tenants. The average rent of the 90 houses in Tipperary is £3 to £3.50. Local authorities can take steps, where circumstances warrant it, to reduce rents.
I agree with the figure given by the Minister but some tenants are paying the maximum which is £10 a per week while old age pensioners and those on unemployment assistance pay the minimum of 10p per week. In Cahir the average weekly rent is £6 to £7 per week. Will the Minister consider directing the local authorities to grant exceptional aid in those cases by reducing the rent?
The councils concerned, Tipperary UDC and Tipperary South Riding, are at present seriously considering installing solid fuel burners in those houses with the aid of grants from my Department in order to alleviate the cost of fuel for heating.
While awaiting the implementation of that scheme will the Minister give the concession I asked?
Local councils have a certain freedom with regard to the circumstances of the tenants to vary the scheme.
Will the Minister look with favour on the two councils if they submit a scheme granting such a concession to the tenants?
As far as I am aware they do not have to submit all variations to me. For example, in the case of a person who becomes unemployed having been earning a good wage beforehand, a local authority can vary that scheme without reference to me.
If the wage and salaries of such people are at a certain level local authorities must implement the differential rent scheme. In those circumstances the scheme cannot be varied. In exceptional circumstances, where a person's income reduces, the scheme can be varied.
If it is necessary for local authorities to submit something to me I will have a look at it.
Does the Minister recognise that the existence of houses without chimneys is a mistake which all sides of the House regret? In those circumstances would the Minister recognise that they are in a unique category? A decision such as the Minister suggested, to reduce the rents of local authority houses in such circumstances, would mean a shortfall in the revenue of that authority. Will the Minister pick up the tab between what should be charged for those houses and what is being charged to compensate for a wrong decision made in the past? That is the kernel of the issue. If a local authority propose to reduce the rent of local authority housing by an amount equal to the cost of providing alternative heating will the Minister pick up that tab for the balance and not leave a local authority with the deficit?
In the schemes we are referring to the main complaints have been about leaking roofs, dampness, condensation and so on.
All of which arise from poor heating.
Retention money has been held from the contractors involved in those schemes and repairs are being carried out to the roofs. That is a step forward. With regard to the Deputy's question about picking up the tab I should like to state that I do not have an immediate reply to that question.
The Minister will have a question about that matter soon.