To ask the Minister for Finance whether it is true that from fifty to one hundred of the houses built by the Local Government Board at Killester Garden Suburb have been fit for occupation for several months past and still remain unoccupied; and whether the immediate occupation of these houses would not materially relieve the acute housing shortage in the City, and if he will issue instructions that they be used immediately. Further to ask the Minister for Finance whether the engineers in charge of the Killester Building Scheme are in the employment of the Provisional Government and, if not, can he say who is responsible for the payment of their salaries, and what authority or official is responsible for the selection of tenants for the houses and the fixing of the rent.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - KILLESTER GARDEN SUBURB.
AILFRID O BROIN
The MINISTER for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald),
in the absence of the Minister of Finance, replied: None of the houses at Killester are fit for occupation. The actual erection of a considerable proportion of them is completed, but the houses will not be ready for occupation until the water supply and sewerage systems are properly installed; efforts are being made to expedite the installation of water and sewerage systems. With the consent of the Ministry of Finance the Board of Works are completing the Killester Scheme under an agency arrangement, so that, in effect, the salaries of the engineers engaged are being paid by the British Government. With reference to the latter part of the question, tenants are chosen and rents are fixed by the Sailors and Soldiers' Department, Lower Fitzwilliam Street.