asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the run-down condition in some corporation flats complexes in Dublin's Inner City and that these conditions are largely due to the absence of any specific capital allocation to Dublin Corporation for upgrading works on flat schemes; and if he will agree to give serious consideration to the allocation of funds to the corporation so that this badly needed work can be carried out.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Corporation Housing.
5.
I am aware of the problems in some of Dublin Corporation inner city flat complexes. As the Deputy will appreciate, consideration of possible solutions and approaches to these problems is a matter primarily for Dublin Corporation, which are responsible for the management, maintenance and repair of their housing stock.
To meet the costs of such management, maintenance and repairs the corporation have available to them the entire rental income from their overall estate, together with 40 per cent of the proceeds of their sales of local authority houses and any other moneys from revenue sources that they may decide to allocate for the purpose. In addition, grants are available from my Department in respect of certain improvement works to local authority dwellings. Capital allocations by way of unsubsidised loan may also be made available in respect of such works.
The making of capital allocations for normal maintenance and repair works to local authority houses would not be appropriate since such works are properly a charge on revenue funds. I am conscious, however, of the general problem involved in the financing of extensive works of a capital nature to local authority houses which are in need of modernisation and renovation. There are no funds available to me out of which additional allocations could be made for this purpose but I am keeping the matter under review.
Is the Minister aware that the existing finances available to the corporation are totally inadequate and that conditions in inner city flat complexes are deteriorating as a result?
The moneys available are adequate for normal maintenance but in the case of flats or houses which have become substandard we would have to look at the matter again. The money available from rental and the 40 per cent income from the sale of houses is quite adequate to meet normal maintenance.
Is the Minister aware that one of the contributory factors to the run-down condition of inner city flat complexes is the tremendous shortage of professional and supervisory staff in the maintenance section? Is he aware that there are two architects and one engineer available to the corporation to run the entire maintenance section for capital city? Does he feel this is adequate?
Yes. Skilled craftsmen rather than architects are required for maintenance. Obviously architects are needed to examine the fabric of older dwellings and I would say that two architects would be adequate.
I am surprised that the Minister is so out of touch with what is adequate. Certainly the corporation would not agree with him. Is he aware that in Britain a similar pattern of inner city neglect led to serious rioting before positive action was taken? Would he consider a detailed examination of his Department's response to inner city conditions before the same thing occurs here? I have no doubt the same will occur if there is not a positive response.
I am keeping the matter under review and have asked the corporation to give me a report on a number of these flat complexes and their programme for dealing with them. I am finding out what the corporation propose to do about it.
And the Minister will finance it?
When we get it we will look at it.
Would the Minister not agree that there is a direct correlation between the serious social problems that obtain in these areas and the neglect of the environmental surroundings? Would he agree that this is caused by the absence of sufficient personnel to deal with the problem? Would the Minister elaborate on the number of tradesmen and staff below the professional level detailed to do this work and provide the proper environment to prevent deteriorating social problems?
That takes in a whole range of problems. The withdrawing of the caretaker a number of years ago was the start of all this. There was also an over-emphasis on local authority dwellings in one area and the proper social mix was not achieved. We must plan to improve the social fabric of the inner city and inject a better social mix. We must consider both the social fabric and building fabric.
It cannot be done without the proper support from the corporation in regard to environmental services and that depends on finance.
This requires a whole range of options. I wish it was a simple maintenance problem but it is not.
If people are living in bad housing conditions there will be unrest.
The general environment may not be the result of bad housing conditions. It may also be the result of bad planning.
I will not have a discussion on housing policy.
May I ask a final question?
The Deputy asked a final question before Deputy Lenihan.
I would simply ask whether the Minister is considering a response from his Department to the inner city problems referred to in the question.
Yes. I am very keen to see that something is done in the whole inner city area, basically with regard to the social fabric. One of the ways of improving it is by getting a much better social mix than we have at present.