asked the Minister for Local Government the procedure to be adopted by county councils in giving effect to applications for the vesting of cottages; and if he will indicate the approximate period between the county council's decision to vest cottages and the approval by his Department of the applications for schemes of vesting.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vesting of Cottages.
74.
The procedure to be followed by county councils in giving effect to applications for vesting of cottages is set out in Section 17 of the Labourers Act, 1936, which provides that where a cottage purchase scheme is in force in respect of a cottage, and an application is received from a person who claims to be entitled to purchase in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the County Council shall make a vesting order on being satisfied that his claim is correct. As regards the second part of the Question, my approval is not required to the vesting by a council of cottages which are included in an approved purchase scheme. The period which elapses between the making of a scheme and the Minister's Order bringing it into force is, where there are no exceptional circumstances, approximately five months.
May I ask the Minister if it is possible to reduce that latter period substantially where it is clear it is for the vesting of cottages?
I do not think it is possible to reduce it by very much. As I said in my reply, five months must elapse before the Order comes into operation.
I understand one of the provisions is that the Minister must lay the Order on the Table of the House for about three months. That is a very good scheme for idling time.
I feel the Deputy would be one of the first to object to the removal of an Order from the Table of the House.
I do not want it to get musty on the Table of the House. I do not think it necessary for it to lie there for five months until you cannot find it among the other documents.
The Deputy and the House will appreciate that five months is a very short time in the life of a House.