asked the Minister for Local Government if he will give details of the housing survey recently carried out, outlining the number of houses needed, and the plans at present before his Department to meet this need.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Survey.
43.
I presume the Deputy is referring to the survey to ascertain the condition of the housing stock and in particular the number of unfit dwellings in each area. I gave the results in so far as they had been furnished by the housing authorities concerned in my reply to a question by Deputy Jones on the 18th June last. The following results of the completed survey in Clonmel and amended figures for Dublin County and Cobh Urban District have since been received:
|
Total number of unfit dwellings |
Number of these capable of economic repair |
|
|
Clonmel |
212 |
124 |
|
Dublin County |
1,082 |
492 |
|
Cobh |
133 |
12 |
I have already pointed out that the survey results are not an indication of overall housing need as they do not take account of needs arising otherwise, for example through overcrowding in fit dwellings, subtenanting of local authority dwellings, new family formation, and so on.
In so far as the last part of the question is concerned, at a recent date there were before my Department from housing authorities proposals for approximately 3,500 new dwellings. This figure did not include proposals for the acquisition of land for housing purposes.
It is not, therefore, a measure of the extent of current building programmes of housing authorities, as it does not take into account proposals already approved or in correspondence. There were 2,250 local authority dwellings in progress and 1,466 at tender stage at the 31st May, 1963.
Can the Minister say the number of local authorities who, so far, have not completed the survey and would he also say whether or not in areas where there is a health authority as well as a county council it is a cause of the hold-up because here you have a sort of divided responsibility?
I am afraid I have not that information at the moment.
Does the County Dublin figure include the Dún Laoghaire group?
No. It would be separate, just its own housing authority area.
They could not do that.
No, they would not be allowed.