asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in reference to his reply to a question of 27th November relative to the operation of the Small Dwellings Acts by the Corporation of Dublin (1) in what district of Dublin the houses were situated which he then stated were outside the city boundary when loans amounting to £61,815 were advanced on them by the Dublin Corporation, (2) whether loans under the Small Dwellings Acts were issued on any other houses, similarly situated, by the Dublin Corporation, (3) the amount of such loans and (4) what disciplinary action, if any, was taken against the official concerned in these latter cases and, further, if in view of the facts disclosed in these cases, before giving his consent to the payment of any further loans under the Small Dwellings Acts by the Corporation of Dublin, he will take the necessary steps to have a public sworn inquiry held into the administration of the Small Dwellings Acts by the Corporation of Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts.
The houses referred to at (1) in the Deputy's question are in the Crumlin area. In regard to (2), (3) and (4), I am not aware of any other cases. As to the concluding part of the question, I would point out that my consent is not required to the making by the Dublin Corporation of advances under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Acts.
The question asks if any disciplinary action has been taken. Can the Parliamentary Secretary indicate whether any disciplinary action has or has not been taken?
Disciplinary action has been taken.
It is a matter for the Dublin Corporation.
Has Deputy Cowan a roving commission to answer every question? He is very helpful, anyhow.
It is quite obvious we now know who inspired Deputy O. Flanagan's question.
Mr. Flanagan
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in reference to the reply to a question on 27th November concerning the administration of the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts by the Corporation of Dublin (1) whether a signed declaration as to progress is required from an applicant before the payment by the corporation of an instalment or the whole of a small dwellings loan; (2) whether this signed declaration was made in the cases set out as incomplete or nonexistent by him in his reply, either by the applicants or persons acting on their behalf, and (3) whether, if these declarations were, in fact, false the Dublin Corporation will take legal action regarding these attempts to obtain money by false declaration.
It is my practice to accord local authorities a full discretion in the administration of the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts so far as advances to individual borrowers are concerned. The cases referred to in the Deputy's question of 27th November last had come to my notice by reason of the disciplinary action, requiring my approval, which was taken. I was, therefore, in a position to answer the several portions of the Deputy's question of 27th November. I have, however, no further information nor am I prepared to seek it, as regards questions of procedure or proceedings in which, as I have indicated, local authorities have a full discretion as to the action, if any, which they should take. Any necessary review of the matter on those lines is the responsibility of the local government auditor.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will issue definite instructions to local authorities who borrow from the local loans fund to make payments of loans under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts to persons covered by any of the six categories set out in his circular No. H.16/52 of 12th November, 1952, as many people are seriously handicapped by delay and doubt as to whether they will be entitled to interest at the rate prevailing prior to 6th October.
The making of advances under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts is entirely within the discretion of the local authorities, and I am not empowered to instruct them to make advances in particular cases. So far as the rate of interest is concerned, local authorities who borrow from the local loans fund have been informed that in all cases coming within the categories referred to by the Deputy in which they propose to make advances, the rate of interest will be the rate prevailing before the 6th October, 1952.