The names of the persons selected to act as members of the Housing Board are Michael Colivet (chairman), Michael Buckley and Senator Thomas Johnson. The rate of remuneration will be £1,000 per annum in the case of the Chairman and £500 per annum for each of the other two posts. The duties of the Chairman will be whole-time and the other two members will serve in a part-time capacity. The several gentlemen selected have an intimate knowledge of rural housing, including the general conditions and needs of small farmers and agricultural labourers, practical experience of the housing of the working classes in urban areas, and a knowledge of hours and conditions of labour in the building industry. The housing staff in the Department will furnish the Board with all the clerical and other assistance that they may require. The Board has been established to examine housing conditions thoroughly, and to advise and assist the Minister in the solution of the present housing shortage.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Board, Personnel, Salaries, Etc.
Mr. Brodrick
Is the Minister satisfied with the qualifications of the Chairman of the Board who was once a Deputy of this House? Is he aware that his only qualifications are as traveller for a firm in Limerick and that recently he has been connected with an insurance company and does he consider that these experiences fit a man to be Chairman of a Housing Board with a salary of £1,000 a year?
I should also like to know about the other members of the Board, whether it is not a fact that Mr. Buckley, one of the members, is in receipt of a pension of £836 a year. Will portion of his pension be returned to the State, seeing that he is getting a salary of £500 a year and that he is in receipt of a pension of £836 a year, making in or about £1,300 a year for this man? I should like to know too as to whether the third member of the Board, Senator Johnson, has been given this post simply as a sop to the Labour Party.
I should like to say about Mr. Colivet that he has——
That is not a question.
Arising out of the reply by the Minister and the Supplementary Question, might I ask the Minister whether Senator Johnson on his being appointed a member of the Board made an offer to the Minister to refund £250 out of the £500 salary and whether the Minister will state whether any Deputy of the Cumann na nGaedheal Party who, in the past, received a salary apart from the Dáil allowance, ever made the Minister an offer out of such salary or out of any pension or gratuity which was awarded to him for alleged services?
I am satisfied as to the qualifications of the members of the Board. As to the question asked by Deputy Norton, I did receive a letter about 1 o'clock to-day from Senator Johnson offering to give back to the State £250 a year out of the two allowances that are made him, first as Senator and secondly, as part-time member of the Housing Board.
Could the Minister tell us whether it was after Senator Johnson saw the question on the Order Paper that he made that offer?