asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that Carlow County Council are anxious to proceed with the erection of labourers' cottages, but are unable to do so pending an announcement as to the Government's intentions regarding the State's contributions to loan charges arising out of the substantial increase in building costs; and, if so, if he will state if he is in a position to indicate the Government's intentions in regard to contributions to loan charges in respect of houses erected by local authorities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - House-building by Local Authorities.
I would refer the Deputy to the terms of the reply I gave yesterday to Deputy Mulcahy's question as to the conditions under which future housing operations may be undertaken by local authorities.
As far as the Carlow County Council is concerned, I might point out that in 1942 the former Board of Health and Public Assistance applied to me for sanction to a loan of £20,000 to acquire and fence 283 plots for labourers' cottages. To date 253 of these have been acquired. The scarcity of building materials, however, is such that only a very small number of cottages could be erected at present. As I have already indicated, financial reasons should not impede local authorities in the preparation of plans, the acquisition of sites and in the erection of such dwellings as the supplies position permits:
May I take it, therefore, that the Carlow County Council, having been encouraged to proceed with the erection of labourers' cottages on sites which they have already acquired, that I may have a general broad assurance from the Minister that the circumstances under which the houses were built, including the cost price of the dwellings, will be considered in allocating the State grant to the county council?
Naturally, whatever provision may be made for assisting local authorities to proceed with building programmes in future will take into account the general level of cost, and, as I have already indicated, in so far as that would involve an increase in the present subsidy that increase would be retrospective as from June last.