asked the Minister for Local Government the total number of schemes administered by his Department for which sanction had to be withheld since April 1965 owing to the present credit squeeze.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sanctioning of Schemes.
19.
Following the publication of the White Paper on Public Capital Expenditure last autumn, it was considered expedient to defer approval to the acceptance of tenders and direct labour estimates for a number of housing and sanitary services schemes pending a general review of the capital position with particular reference to the amount which could be made available in 1966-67. A total of 26 housing schemes, involving ten or more dwellings, and 339 rural cottages were so affected, as well as 41 sanitary services schemes. Each housing authority has now been asked to decide what schemes it will carry out in 1966-67 within the allocation of capital monies of which it was notified last March. Approval will then issue to the schemes decided on by the housing authority. It is hoped to notify local authorities of capital allocations in respect of sanitary services works shortly.
Is it not true that many sanitary services schemes have been held up for some months awaiting sanction in relation to money and can the Minister say, for instance, that there will be money available for the further extension of the North Dublin regional water supply scheme?
I cannot say in respect of any particular scheme that I am asked about here and that is bounced off me in the House just what will or will not be the situation in regard to it. Therefore, if information is required and requested on this matter, I shall try to give the Deputy an answer but it would have to be by way of notice.
It is a major scheme and I am quite sure the Minister is well aware of the situation.
It may be the county in which the capital of the country is but there are other counties in which major schemes have been going on in recent years at a much greater pace than ever before.
Will the Minister give me an assurance now in relation to the number of these schemes which have been held back in his own constituency, north-east Donegal, and the whole county of Donegal, that enough money will now be given to the Donegal County Council to carry out all these schemes?
I will give the Deputy no such assurance.
Why not?
Why should I?
Will the Minister assure me that if Donegal County Council make application for the erection of additional cottages, the money will be forthcoming?
The Minister will give no such assurance.
Is the Minister aware that housing schemes in Donegal have been delayed? Ramelton is delayed; Fahan is delayed; Milford is delayed; Carndonagh is delayed; Moville is delayed; Convoy is delayed. Is the Minister further aware that a councillor in Donegal County Council, none other than his own brother, has tabled a motion to the county manager of Donegal to change the scheme so that 14 small farmers' homes could be built but that the Lifford scheme be deleted? Is the Minister not satisfied, in view of this tale of woe, that he should do something better than not assure me that money will be forthcoming?
What I will assure the Deputy is that we will build more houses in Donegal than were built in any recent year.
Is that not what I am asking you to do?
Behave yourself.
If Deputy Harte cannot restrain himself he will have to go out of this Chamber.
I would be sorry to see the Minister losing his brother's vote.
Question No. 20.
You are "bust" and why do you not admit it?
The Deputy has had his say here and he is saying it elsewhere. Just for once, may I repeat, in case it was not quite properly taken up, that we will build more houses in Donegal than the council have built within any year since the Deputy became a member.
That would not be hard to do. You have built none in the last five years.
That is what I am suggesting.
I have spent more in my own private business than you have spent.
Am I right in feeling that Fianna Fáil have had a majority during all those years?
We have also had Deputy Harte as a councillor and it does not seem to have helped building.
Sacking lorry drivers, you would be better at, than building houses.
I do not sack lorry drivers.
You know what I am referring to.
I do not.
You should. You have as much knowledge of that as you have of running your Department.
I have knowledge of running my Department but I have no knowledge of what the Deputy is talking about.
You certainly have.
If Deputies will not allow business to proceed, I will adjourn the House.
Before the Ceann Comhairle considers adjourning the House, perhaps the Minister for Agriculture will be permitted to make a statement in connection with milk?
The Deputy is riding the two horses adroitly.
It was a disgraceful performance to arrest picketers outside Government Buildings when it was never done before. On this occasion it was done because it hurt the Minister's pride. That was why he got it done.
Order.
Do not get apoplexy.
It is the first time it was ever done.
It is disgraceful and something should be done about it.