asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the number of houses condemned as unfit for human habitation by the county or local medical officer in the area of the Edenderry Town Commissioners; whether proposals put forward by the commissioners for the rehousing of slum dwellers have been held up by his Department, and if he will state the present position of his Department regarding the need for providing housing accommodation for slum dwellers and other deserving applicants in the area mentioned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Edenderry Condemned Houses.
According to the certificate submitted by the local medical officer of health at the local public inquiry recently held into a housing scheme of the Offaly Board of Health, there were 18 houses definitely condemned as unfit for human habitation in the town of Edenderry. The proposals of the Edenderry Town Commissioners for the rehousing of slum dwellers have not been held up in the Department. The town commissioners have been very unpunctual in the repayment of the loan charges to the Commissioners of Public Works in respect of the housing schemes already carried out by them, and at present they are in arrears with their repayments. The Commissioners of Public Works have stated that they cannot under any circumstances recommend any further loans for sanction while any arrears of instalments in repayment of existing loans remain undischarged. The Offaly Board of Health, under the scheme to which I have referred, have submitted proposals for the provision of 98 houses in the town. I am not yet in a position to state how many of these will eventually be sanctioned.