asked the Minister for Local Government if, in regard to the surfacing of roads in the Cork road housing scheme, Waterford City, he will state (a) whether the surfacing of the roads in question was included in the original plan of scheme as being part of the contract, and (b) whether such surfacing was included in the contract documents and, if not, whether its omission was sanctioned by him and the reason therefor.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Waterford City Roads.
The plans and contract documents for the Cork road housing scheme included provision for the finishing of the roads in the scheme with a smooth, well-knit surface of water-bound macadam.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that when the plans were finished there was no such provision for smooth surfacing for a rough road and would he say whether the cost of the smooth road is being charged in rent to the people of the scheme?
I am painfully aware of the fact that the work specified was supposed to have been completed according to plan by the contractor in 1949. It was at the time, or subsequently, claimed that the work had not been carried out in accordance with specifications. Eventually the local authority accepted the contention of the contractor that the construction of the roads in this scheme had been carried out according to specification. I have already informed the Deputy that, in such circumstances, the Department has no power to direct the local authority as to what further action should be taken in the matter. The file in connection with this matter is so big that I could not carry it into the Dáil.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary mean when he says "local authority" the city manager or the corporation?
As I have already stated, the matter is still in dispute and is one to be settled by the local authority, and the local authority concerned has been repeatedly informed. Furthermore, portion of the work that was supposed to have been done by the contractor was carried out by the local authority at the expense of the rate-payers and the Department cannot go any further in a case of this kind than indicate that they are willing to sanction a loan for the purpose of carrying out whatever further work is required by the local authority to be done.
The local authority means the city manager?