asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the urgency of the housing problem in County Dublin and throughout the country, he will consider the following measures: (a) placing an immediate halt on eviction proceedings, particularly such as may apply to tied cottages in rural areas; (b) the requisitioning of all building supplies not presently being used for essential purposes for use in the building of workers' homes; (c) the erection of temporary dwellings, particularly in distressed areas, as a measure of interim relief; (d) the repair, where possible, of dwellings presently unoccupied through being condemned, with a view to their temporary use as shelters for families in need of such; (e) empowering the local authorities to take over all houses presently unoccupied for the use of people in urgent need of housing accommodation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Problem.
Mr. Murphy
I am considering ways and means of providing houses as quickly as possible to meet the urgent needs of workers, and I welcome any suggestions or ideas from any quarter. With regard to the Deputy's suggestions, the first two would be for the consideration of the Ministers for Justice and Industry and Commerce, respectively, in the first instance. An absolute preference is now given to local authority housing in the allocation of building licences by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. The remaining suggestions in the Deputy's question relate to matters which will naturally come under review in the general examination which I am making of the housing problem.