asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state in respect of each of the last five years the number of dwellings in Dublin city condemned as being unfit for human habitation, excluding from those figures any such dwellings declared to be dangerous.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Condemned and Unfit Houses.
22.
The precise information requested by the Deputy is not available as there is a certain amount of overlapping between dwellings condemned as unfit under the Housing Acts and dwellings declared to be dangerous.
I understand that demolition or closure orders under the Housing Acts were made in respect of the following numbers of dwellings in Dublin city in the calendar years 1960 to 1963: 1960—399; 1961—306; 1962—52; 1963—99. No such orders were made since 1963.
I am informed that about one-third of these dwellings were subsequently the subject of notices under the dangerous buildings code.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary have regard to the fact that Dublin Corporation, for all practical purposes, has ceased to condemn dwellings as unfit for human habitation, notwithstanding the fact that there are many dwellings yearly becoming so unfit, and would he use his good offices to see to it that this urgent matter receives the attention it deserves? May I take it the answer is "yes"?
I will convey the Deputy's representations to the Minister.
23.
asked the Minister for Local Government the number of families residing in accommodation declared unfit for human habitation who are at present on the Dublin Corporation housing applicants' lists.
I understand that of the families at present on the waiting list for rehousing by Dublin Corporation, 244 families are living in accommodation in respect of which demolition or closure orders have been made under the Housing Acts and 187 families are living in buildings which are the subject of notices under the dangerous buildings code.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in addition to these figures he has given, there are several hundred families living in houses that are unfit for human habitation but which have not been so found because of the fact that this work has been suspended for the past two years and, in order to have a true picture of the situation, would the Parliamentary Secretary use his good offices with the Minister and the corporation to see to it that this urgent work is put in hands immediately?
That is tied up with the other question. In speaking to the Minister about it, I will refer to the two supplementary questions asked.
Is it not the fact that it has been postponed because public authorities here do not wish to be embarrassed by having it officially recorded that we have, in fact, many hundreds of unfit dwellings and are not in a position to house the people out of them?