asked the Minister for Local Government whether Dublin Corporation have statutory authority to employ their official in the collection and processing of claims against the Government arising out of damage caused by the recent explosion by the Army of the stump of Nelson Pillar; if so, if he will state the authority; and whether the Government will indemnify the Dublin rates against the cost of salaries of officials and other costs involved in the processing of such claims.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nelson Pillar.
33.
The employment of corporation officials on the work in question is the most suitable and economical way of dealing with the matter. Corporation staff would be engaged in the inspection of property following both explosions, in the normal course of their duties, to ensure that buildings had not become dangerous. Processing of claims arising out of the first explosion would fall to be dealt with by the local authority. It is necessary, in the corporation's interest, therefore, to distinguish between claims arising out of the first and second explosions and on that ground the employment of their officers on the processing of all claims in the first instance would be covered by their general statutory powers to assign duties to their staffs.
In any case the corporation will be indemnified by the Government against the costs of processing.
Do I understand that the Government now accept the possibility that buildings may have been rendered dangerous by the second blast as well as the first? Are we further to understand that Dublin Corporation did not inspect all buildings after the first blast and before the second blast? Are we further to understand that the legal Department of the corporation are to be involved without remuneration in respect of the processing of these claims?
I do not know what the Deputy wants. I am quite sure that if the corporation were expected to bear this and the Government had not entered into it, the Deputy would be screaming his head off suggesting that the Government should take liability. Now that we have accepted liability, I honestly do not know what he wants.
I shall ask the Minister a further question. The Minister is supposed to give information in this House, not Deputy Ryan. Is he aware that the claims received by the corporation in respect of damage done by the Government's blast are greater than an estimate provided by a private firm for the demolition of the stump, and how does the Minister justify this nonsense?
That is a separate question.
The Minister wanted a question.
An intelligent question.
Money is being thrown away when there should have been no damage to buildings, no cost to the ratepayers and no dangerous buildings.