asked the Minister for the Environment if he will instruct the city manager for Limerick Corporation to arrange an immediate investigation of the electrical wiring and fittings arising out of the recent fires in the housing schemes at Ballynanty Beg, St. Mary's Park, Kileely, Prospect, Ballinacurra Weston.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Limerick Housing Scheme Fires.
14.
The maintenance and management of local authority rented dwellings is the responsibility of the authority. I have no evidence to support the Deputy's suggestion that the recent fires in the schemes mentioned in his question were caused by electrical wiring faults. I understand that the city engineer is conducting an investigation into the causes of these fires which occurred in the corporation's housing estates. I may add that in the course of normal maintenance work, by the corporation, electrical wiring is inspected and replaced where necessary.
Is the Minister aware that I am referring to houses built in the 1930's at which time they probably would have been accepted as being up to standard. I am talking about houses where fires have been occurring because of obsolete wiring. Is the Minister not prepared to accept responsibility to ensure that all residents of local authority houses are guaranteed maximum safety. I am informing the Minister here that people living in the houses referred to in the question are virtually sitting on a time bomb. Indeed the local ESB have refused to connect lights in some of these houses because of their obsolete and inadequate wiring system. I mean that, they are virtually sitting on a time bomb and there could be a holocaust in Limerick city if what I request is not done soon.
There is no evidence to show that such fires were caused by electrical faults. There is no evidence available to support that assumption. The city engineer is conducting an investigation into the causes of the fires which occurred this year at the request of the corporation's housing department. So far in 1980, ten have occurred in a corporation housing estate. I have no evidence that the fault was an electrical one, and no evidence has come to my Department, but if the Deputy can give me evidence I will have it followed up.
I am not qualified to give evidence but I will refer it to the ESB who will tell the Minister it is because of poor wiring. Many people could perish in these housing schemes because of this danger.
I will have it investigated anyway.
15.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that the maintenance programme planned by Limerick Corporation this year has come to a standstill; and if he is prepared to make a supplementary allocation to recommence this urgent service.
I understand that maintenance work on Limerick Corporation's rented housing stock has not come to a standstill and that the local authority are in fact undertaking a reasonable level of action in that area. There are no funds available to me out of which a special allocation of moneys may be made to any local authority for increased maintenance works in the light of the already high subvention from Exchequer funds provided in subsidising local authority rented dwellings.
The Exchequer generally meets in full the loan charges incurred in the provision of local authority houses for renting. Local authorities are responsible for the maintenance and management of their rented housing estates and for this purpose may retain all rental income and miscellaneous receipts in addition to a proportion of the proceeds of sales of houses to tenants.
Is the Minister aware that because of the financial constraints of local authorities what I have said is correct — we have tradesmen employed who have not got work because there are no materials available? One person came to me this morning to tell me that he had not got the facilities because of inadequate funds being made available to local authorities.
The subsidy on local authority housing is more than £62 million, which comes from the Exchequer. In regard to Limerick Corporation house maintenance, last year the sum allocated was £616,000. This year it is estimated to be £630,000 for maintenance. That is not a small amount by any means.
Can the Minister indicate when he was informed by the Limerick Corporation, by the city manager or the housing officer there, that house maintenance has not come to a standstill? If he has such a letter from somebody in Limerick Corporation would he make the letter available to Deputy Lipper or to Limerick Corporation?
I have nothing in my file to suggest that I got anything from the city manager.
If neither the manager nor the housing officer has been in communication with the Minister how does he know that maintenance work has not come to a standstill?
We checked it.
How did the Minister check it? Did he check it with the local cumann or with whom? The Minister has told us he has checked it but he has refused to tell us with whom.
My Department checked it.
With whom?
The corporation.
Did they go to the housing officer?
My officials checked it, I do not know with whom.
An invisible person down in Limerick. The Minister does not even know who he is.