asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that valuations by local authorities of grant houses are at the moment so low that the people for whom the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts were intended can no longer avail of them; and, if so, whether he is now in a position to state the result of the examination referred to by him in reply to a question of the 24th November, 1949.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Valuations of Grant Houses.
I am not aware that the valuations placed by local authorities generally on houses in respect of which loans have been applied for under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts are so low as to nullify the provisions of the Acts. I am aware that there has been a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the valuations in County Dublin, but I am informed that the number of withdrawals of loan applications in this area for all reasons is insignificant.
As I pointed out in reply to a previous question on this subject, where there is a reasonable relationship between the price of houses and their current market value, persons of limited means who purchase them will not be precluded from availing themselves of loans under the Acts. I may add that the consideration of the matter on the lines indicated in my previous reply is proceeding.
Is the Minister aware that the valuation of grant houses is far lower than the cost price of corporation dwellings and that corporation dwellings bear no relation whatever in the matter of cost price to the grant houses being built at the moment?
I intend to make an attempt in the forthcoming Bill, which is at present in draft, to deal with this matter to some extent, but I am still of opinion that if builders' prices came down, we would be more likely to achieve results than we would be if we tried to restrict unduly local authorities in the matter of valuations. I am, however, trying to take steps in the amending legislation, which I hope to introduce very soon, to deal to some extent with the point.