asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state, in respect of a proposal by the Laoighis County Council to build houses at Rathdowney under the direct labour system (1) when the council unanimously adopted the proposal; (2) the estimated cost per house submitted to the council by the county engineer; (3) when plans were submitted to the Department for approval; (4) when the plans were sanctioned; (5) when work commenced on the site, and (6) the cause of the five or six months' delay in carrying out the wishes of the council in this case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Laoighis Housing Scheme.
The particulars required by the Deputy in regard to the direct labour housing scheme at Rathdowney are as follows:—
A proposal to have the scheme carried out by direct labour was unanimously adopted by the Laoighis County Council at their meeting on the 11th April, 1949.
The tentative estimated cost submitted by the county engineer to the council at their meeting on the 4th July, 1949, was £1,400 per house.
Plans for the scheme were submitted by the council for approval on the 11th July, 1949. Amendment of the plans in certain respects was found necessary and the council's architect was requested to revise the plans accordingly. Revised lay-out and house plans were submitted on the 16th August, 1949.
The revised plans were approved on the 18th August, 1949. At the same time the council were requested to furnish full working drawings and detailed proposals for water supply, sewerage and lighting. These documents were furnished on the 24th October, 1949, and were approved, subject to minor amendments, on the 4th November, 1949.
Work commenced on the site on the 17th October, 1949.
There appears to have been no undue delay in carrying out the council's wishes in this matter. While the council adopted the proposal to have the scheme carried out by direct labour at their meeting on the 11th April, the matter was further considered at their meeting on the 25th April, at which they empowered the county manager and county engineer to examine the question further and to furnish to the next meeting a full statement as to the nature of the organisation that would be required, estimated cost of the scheme, etc. The required statement was furnished to the council at their meeting on the 30th May, 1949, and it was decided to adjourn further consideration of the matter pending the submission of lay-out and house plans for the scheme. The plans were submitted to the council at their meeting on the 4th July, 1949, together with a report as to the estimated cost. The council approved the plans and the carrying out of work in accordance therewith by direct labour. The plans were submitted to me for approval on the 11th July, 1949, and, as indicated earlier in my reply, were finally approved on the 18th August, 1949. The interval between the issue of sanction to the plans and the commencement of work was occupied in the setting up of the necessary organisation to carry out the scheme.
Would the Minister say how many houses were covered by the scheme?
I have not got the figures.
Has the Minister any idea?
Not at the moment.