Vol. 470 No. 8
91 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of the guidelines supplied by his Department to local authorities which are currently purchasing private houses; whether any price guideline is laid down in this regard; and whether any ceiling figure is given or whether these matters are at the discretion of individual local authorities. [20124/96]
It is a matter for local authorities to assess the balance of advantage in terms of getting value for money between constructing a new house and purchasing a private house. The prior approval of my Department is not required where the cost of the acquisition can be met from a local authority's capital allocation and where the acquisition represents a cost-effective and economical means by which the authority can meet the housing needs of a person who has been included in the last assessment made by the authority under section 9 of the Housing Act, 1988, or who has been accepted for inclusion in the next assessment.
92 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the number of approved applications for the £5,000 surrender grant scheme in the 1980s; the total cost of the scheme of that time; and if he will put the scheme in context by relating average house prices at that time to current values. [20125/96]
Total expenditure under the scheme amounted to £40,570,000 in respect of 8,114 applications approved by local authorities and paid by my Department.
The average price of secondhand houses, for which loans were approved by lending agencies, was £34,838 in the December quarter 1984, £35,641 in the June quarter 1987 and £67,515 in the June quarter 1996.
93 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment whether a submission made approximately one year ago by Dublin Corporation to alter the standard and requirements of duty and care between a local authority and a tenant have been examined in detail; the alterations, if any, which will be made in view of the nature of claims made by tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20126/96]
I refer to the reply to Question No. 5 of 27 April 1995. No formal submission has been received in this matter seeking specific changes in regard to the duty of care of housing authorities arising from the discharge of their functions. The general issues that arise have, however, been discussed with the corporation and any proposals put forward by them in this connection will be examined in the light of the complex legal issues arising and which are also likely to involve the Minister for Justice.
94 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the out-turn for the number of local authority housing units built or purchased nationwide in 1995; the projected number for 1996; whether any commitment or statement of intent for 1997 has been made or is available in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20127/96]
Details of houses completed and acquired by local authorities in 1995 and for the January-June period of 1996 are published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. For the year 1996, it is expected that about 3,750 houses will be completed or acquired. The programme for 1997 will be determined in the context of the Estimates process for the year.
