asked the Minister for Local Government to what other housing authorities dwellings will be made available by the prefabrication factory at Ballymun, Dublin.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballymun Prefabricated House Factory.
16.
No commitment exists to supply housing components from the concrete prefabrication factory at Ballymun other than for the purposes of the housing project being undertaken on behalf of Dublin Corporation.
17.
asked the Minister for Local Government the average cost of each house and each flat produced by the prefabrication factory at Ballymun, Dublin, giving details of the cost of each extra service provided.
Because of the diversification of types of dwellings and the varying heights of structures there would be no validity in averaging the costs of this housing project over the numbers of dwellings provided, nor in averaging factory production costs over the same number of dwellings. The concrete prefabrication plant at Ballymun produces components which are common to the construction of flats of different sizes, in blocks of four to 15 storeys. The cost of completed dwellings comprises factors other than the costs of production of components and all of these costs are comprised in the contract target price authorised by resolution of the City Council dated 1st February, 1965.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary give us some idea in simple terms as to what the cost of a house will be in Ballymun?
I am afraid I could not.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary tell us the cost of the erection of a house?
Dublin Corporation was told the number of houses they will get and the cost.
The National Building Agency has ordered the construction of these houses and the Parliamentary Secretary should be in a position to give us some idea of the cost of erection of a house or flat.
I am afraid I could not.
Why is it not possible to have this information?
I do not know, but we do know the overall price and the number of houses. It is still the same figure approved by the corporation in February.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the Minister informed the corporation that the cost would be approximately ten per cent less than the cost of traditional building? Has this proved to be true?
The contract target price was authorised by resolution of the City Council in February and the City Council is aware of the contract price.
The Minister stated that the cost of this type of building would be ten per cent less than traditional building. Has this proved to be true?
The job is not finished yet.
But you told me a minute ago that you have 50 houses.
What is the cost of one of those 50 houses?
It does not appear. I am trying to give you the information I have.
(Interruptions.)
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say whether in the calculation of the cost of the houses there will be a figure for the services rendered by the National Building Agency?
Those are all-in costs, as far as I know.
These houses will be let on a differential rent basis and surely that will be on the economic price? Surely, if the differential rent has to be assessed, it is assessed on the economic price of the house? Is that not a simple calculation?
The rent does not necessarily have to be the economic rent.
Of course, it does. Under the new Act, the Minister for Local Government has rebuked all the local authorities and urged them to get their rents increased——
Do not tell me that everybody who qualifies for a house in Ballymun at 7/6 a week is paying an economic rent.
(Interruptions.)
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a council tenant is less of a burden on the State than an owner-occupier? If the Minister for Finance will give an answer to that previous question of mine, we might have absolute proof of that.