asked the Minister for Local Government how many persons on the Board of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research have formal qualifications in physical planning, construction, architecture or engineering.
47.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research.
46.
asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the fact that all members of the Board of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research are civil servants, it is his intention to replace them with qualified people who are not civil servants.
48.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of any policy differences between the international experts assigned to the United Nations or the United Nations itself and the Irish management of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research.
49.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of any incompatibilities between the United Nations plan of operations and the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research's work programme for 1964-65 and for 1965-66.
50.
asked the Minister for Local Government if the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research have fulfilled to date the terms of their contract with the United Nations Special Fund.
51.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he aware of grave public dissatisfaction with the performance of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research; and, if so, if he will make a statement on the matter.
52.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he intends to hold a public inquiry into the composition, performance and policy of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 to 52 inclusive together.
The National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research has just completed, with the assistance of the United Nations and advisory committees, one year of effective operation. In that year it has carried out a large volume of urgent research and informational work of the highest quality. The value of its achievements has been commended throughout the year by informed professional and lay opinion alike.
The Institute has received very generous and able assistance from the United Nations. I, as the Minister responsible for establishing it, am entirely satisfied with the work it is accomplishing.
There are no policy differences, incompatibilities or failure to fulfil contract terms in the relations between, on the one hand, the Irish Government and the Institute and, on the other, the United Nations.
I am fully satisfied as to the competence and ability of the Board of Directors of the Institute, who represent the several Ministers concerned with the work of the Institute, to manage its affairs. The members of the Board are senior civil servants with wide experience in the fields of housing, building, planning, transport and economic development and have available to advise them fully qualified technical staff.
Government and local public bodies are entirely responsible for physical planning, roads construction and road traffic and public funds are responsible for almost 60 per cent of total investment in building and construction. It is entirely appropriate, therefore, that the research connected with these programmes be under the general management of civil servants representing the several Ministers concerned and responsible to me as the Minister with the main responsibilities in these fields. I keep myself fully informed about the Institute's activities and projects and I have no intention of holding a public inquiry into it.
53.
asked the Minister for Local Government how many research architects were in the employ of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research on 19th September 1965; how many were under formal contract on 7th November 1965; how many had resigned; and what were their dates of appointment and resignation.
There is one post of research architect at the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research. The Institute also makes temporary appointments. There were three architects employed on 19th September, 1965, and the following is the position to date:— Architect No. 1, who was appointed on 1st September, 1964, resigned on 23rd April, 1965, to take effect on 1st October, 1965; architect No. 2 was appointed on 26th July, 1965, and resigned on 31st October, 1965; and architect No. 3, appointed on 5th July, 1965, is still employed at the Institute.
54.
asked the Minister for Local Government how much money was received in 1964-65 by the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research from the United Nations Special Fund; and how much has been repaid by the Irish Government to the United Nations Special Fund.
No money was received in 1964/65 by the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research from the United Nations Special Fund and none has been repaid.
55.
asked the Minister for Local Government how much money has been expended by the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research on abandoned projects from (i) United Nations funds and (ii) Government funds.
No projects have been abandoned by the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research.
56.
asked the Minister for Local Government when the Committee on Education and Training of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research was authorised to be set up; how often it has met; and if he attaches importance to the need for building a capacity among the Irish people to undertake physical planning and construction research.
The Committee on Education and Training of the National Institute for Physical Planning and Construction Research was established in November, 1964. It held its first meeting on 10th December, 1965. It was intended that a special education and training officer who would also hold an appointment as planning lecturer at the City of Dublin College of Technology would be appointed to service this Committee. The City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee have, after prolonged efforts, been unable to recruit this planning lecturer and alternative arrangements have now been made to service the Committee. The purpose of the Institute is to increase Irish capacity to undertake planning and construction research and I am satisfied that it is doing this very effectively.
Can the Minister state why it met only in December, 1965?
I do not imagine it was in a position to meet before that.
We had not got a question down before that.
If it came to questions, there would not be much done.
Question No. 57 postponed.