(Clare) asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (a) how many schemes for the erection of labourers' cottages under the provisions of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1931, and the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1932, have been submitted to his Department for sanction by the County Clare Board of Health; (b) how many houses it was proposed to erect under each scheme submitted; (c) how many schemes has his Department sanctioned; (d) how many houses it is proposed to erect under the schemes sanctioned; (e) how many of these houses have actually been completed; (f) how many are in course of construction; (g) how many applications were received in the first instance by the County Clare Board of Health for cottages; and (h) on what dates were contracts signed in respect of the cottages now in course of construction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Clare Labourers' Cottage Schemes.
Mr. Hogan
The Clare County Board of Health submitted two such schemes and made two Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire sites for the purpose, viz., the Clare County Scheme Order, 1933, and the Clare County Scheme (No. 2) Order, 1933; (b) it was proposed to erect 217 houses under the first scheme and 296 houses under the second scheme; (c) both schemes have been sanctioned by me; (d) it has been decided to erect 167 houses under the first scheme and 206 houses under the second scheme; (e) 21 houses have been completed under the first scheme and one house under the second scheme; (f) 89 houses are in course of construction under the first scheme and 32 houses are in course of construction under the second scheme; (g) the Clare County Board of Health received 933 applications for cottages under these two schemes; (h) I am in communication with the Clare Board of Health regarding the dates of the contracts of the cottages now in course of erection and will furnish this information to the Deputy as early as possible.
Mr. Hogan
Is the Minister satisfied, having regard to the fact that close on 1,000 applications were received at the initiation of the scheme, that the Clare Board of Health is doing all that is necessary for the speeding up of the building of the houses, seeing that only 22 houses have been erected up to the present?
I am not satisfied that the Clare Board of Health has used all the expedition it might have used, but, at the same time, I know that they have had considerable difficulty in getting contractors for the erection of the houses. Local circumstances of different kinds and the scarcity of skilled men have been offered to me as excuses for delay. Because of the fact that the sites for the cottages are scattered over a wide area, they find it difficult to get a contractor to take a number of them. They offered each house separately for contract and, in a number of cases, failed to get a contractor.
Mr. Hogan
Is the Minister aware that at a recent meeting of the Clare Board of Health the secretary to the board reported that, in cases where it was intended that cottages should be completed on a certain date, the building of them had not actually been started?
That is so.
Mr. Hogan
In view of that, will the Minister consider the advisability of exercising the powers conferred on him under the Act to get these houses built?