asked the Minister for Finance if, having regard to the serious upset being caused to the building industry particularly in relation to employment, purchase of materials and efficient utilisation of machinery and other capital assets by reason of long delays in issuing notification to contracting firms that they may proceed, he will have such notifications issued immediately in all cases where public contracts have been recommended for approval; and if he will expedite approvals in other cases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Contracts.
20.
Public contracts may be delayed for various reasons and it would not therefore be practicable to issue notifications as suggested by the Deputy. Some cases are delayed because of shortage of capital, the reasons for which are indicated in the publication Capital Budget, 1966, which was issued in connection with the recent Budget.
In view of the comments of the Federation on the many delays which have a most damaging effect on the building industry, would the Minister try to ensure that there is some expedition in order to preserve from further depletion the labour force and machinery which builders have been holding on to in the hope that the situation might improve?
As I said in the House yesterday, more money is being made available out of the capital public programme for building purposes this year, and in the past few days the Minister for Local Government gave the necessary notification to the local authorities as to the amount they can expend on housing.
Is the Minister aware that in Westmeath we have been notified that we are to get £92,000 and our commitments to December, 1965, are £131,900? We are £40,000 short to pay our existing debts, and we will have nothing for next year.
No place is getting less than its commitments. The amount referred to by the Deputy must be new money.
Up to December, 1965, we had commitments of £131,000. We were told that at the county council meeting last Monday. That is quite true.
Is the Minister aware that the money which has been allocated is not sufficient in some cases to meet present commitments? It will certainly provide no money for any new works to commence in this year 1966-67, with the result that the builders now know they can fold up.
I am not aware of any such instance.
Is the Minister aware that county managers of housing authorities generally were not permitted to commit themselves since last December?
Will the Minister say whether the amount now being allocated according to him, for those purposes, will pay all existing commitments and bring the building industry back to 100 per cent production? It is now running at 50 per cent production.
I should like to get notice of a question of that magnitude.
There is only half enough money there to pay commitments up to the end of December and nothing is being provided for commitments which ought to have been entered into since the beginning of this year. There is not a penny there to be provided in respect of ordinary building purposes.
More money is being provided this year than last year. More money was provided last year than ever before.
(Interruptions.)
Order. Question No. 21.
There is disaster in the building industry.