asked the Minister for the Environment the number of local authority dwellings made available for reletting in each year since 1979.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Housing.
The number of vacant local authority dwellings that became available for reletting in each year since 1979 have been as follows: 1979, 2,132; 1980, 2,341; 1981, 2,056; 1982, 2,182; 1983, 2,753.
Figures for 1984 are not yet available.
The Minister said that the number of houses available for reletting in 1983 was 2,753. In Building on Reality, the Minister said that 3,000 houses would be made available for reletting each year. How and when does the Minister hope to achieve that target? Will there be 3,000 houses available for letting in 1985?
The introduction of the £5,000 grant scheme for local authority tenants of three years' standing will provide a number of additional houses to the local authorities to enable them to add to the average total which is around a figure of 2,500. The figure of 3,000 houses should be achieved with that incentive.
4.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of the changes in rent levels of local authority houses as mentioned in Building on Reality.
5.
asked the Minister for the Environment whether prior consultations with the National Association of Tenants' Organisations will take place before the implementation of changes in the differential rent scheme.
6.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of proposals to raise local authority house rent levels more in line with the actual costs of local authority housing; and when it is proposed to introduce the increased rents.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 5 and 6 together.
As indicated in the national plan, it is intended that rents of local authority dwellings should be raised progressively to a level more in line with the actual costs of the dwellings and that the changes will be made within the framework of the differential rent scheme, which ensures that rents are reasonable in relation to family incomes.
Proposals for a revised rent scheme, to come into effect from the beginning of 1985, have since been put to the National Association of Tenants' Organisations. At this stage, it would not be appropriate for me to give details of likely changes in rent levels.
Will the new rents come into operation on 1 January?
Yes, that is the proposal.
Will the Minister make the proposals which he has made available to the National Association of Tenants' Organisations available also to this side of the House?
I will do that.
7.
asked the Minister for the Environment if instructions are to be given to housing authorities not to undertake minor repairs or maintenance of local authority houses; and if he will make a statement on this matter setting out the exact position.
8.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give a list of minor repairs and maintenance works which will not be carried out in future by local housing authorities.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
Discussions on the various housing matters dealt with in the national plan, including the proposed arrangements in relation to the carrying out of minor repairs and maintenance of a routine nature to local authority dwellings took place recently between officers of my Department and a group of local authority managers. Circular letters dealing with relevant aspects of the plan will be issued to local authorities shortly.
Is the Minister not prepared to give the House some of the information requested?
Details will issue shortly and I can make them available to the Deputy if he requires them.
Have any decisions been made yet?
I am sure that the Deputy is aware of what was suggested in the national plan, that minor repairs should be undertaken by tenants. There is nothing unusual in this since the standard tenancy agreement which governs all local authority housing provides that a tenant is responsible for all internal decoration, breakage of glass or damage to fixtures and fittings. He is also responsible for the proper maintenance of fences surrounding his garden or plot. It further obliges him to make good such damage without delay or, if the damage is made good by the local authority, to pay such cost. This part of the tenancy agreement has not always been applied in the past but all local authorities are now being asked to operate it.
Will the Minister make these details available to every Member of the House?
Of course.
Is the Minister aware that local authority tenants are concerned that they will have to pay for repairs which were hitherto undertaken by the local authority? This is a penny-pinching exercise and many people are very surprised that he, as a Labour Party Minister, would inflict this on one of the weaker sections of the community, people who are unable to provide homes for themselves and who depend on the State to do so.
I assure the House that in cases of hardship we will indicate to local authorities that they should continue to carry out these repairs.
(Dublin North West): Is the Minister aware that in cases where houses are robbed and damage is done, the corporation have refused to carry out necessary repairs? In many cases it involves windows and old people who are unable to pay.
As I said, where hardship is involved and where tenants are unable to pay for repairs we will be asking the local authorities to do so.
It is another means test.