asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state when he intends to announce the Government's proposals for dealing with the provision of houses by private builders and utility societies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Provision of Houses.
As I indicated in the Dáil on a recent occasion, the Housing (Amendment) Act, 1946, provides for the continuance for a further period up to the 1st April, 1947, of the provisions of the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Acts, which enable grants to be paid to private persons in rural areas and public utility societies in all areas towards the cost of erecting new houses. At the moment it is not possible to indicate what assistance towards housing will be necessary when building supplies become generally available.
Could the Minister say if it is proposed to increase the grant?
I have nothing to add to the answer I have given.
Is it the Minister's attitude that it is not intended that private persons or public utility societies will build houses at the present time?
There is nothing in the reply which I have given which would connote that.
Is it not a fact that the Minister's reply would suggest to private persons and public utility societies that supplies are not available for them for building houses?
I do not think so.
If so, has the Minister considered the relationship between the present grant available from the Government for private persons and public utility societies and the increased cost of house building?
I indicated in the discussion on my Estimate last year than any society which would prefer to go ahead and build houses would not be prejudiced in any way by reason of the fact that new grants had not yet been announced.
Is it not a fact that private persons and public utility societies under present circumstances have nothing but the grants that were available pre-war?
That is so.
And, if the intention is that the statement made by the Minister for Finance in his Budget statement in relation to local authorities applies to private persons and public utility societies, will the Minister then see that a special statement is issued that will give private persons and public utility societies who want to build houses complete information as to what the Government's attitude is in a systematic and clear form?
That is a separate question arising out of a statement made by the Minister for Finance in his Budget.