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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 Jun 1966

Vol. 223 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - South Tipperary Council Schemes.

22.

asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the urgency of the obligations undertaken by South Tipperary County Council in regard to cottage building, piped water schemes and sewerage schemes, some of which schemes are ready to put out to tender, and of the urgent necessity for further finance for the making of SDA loans by the council; and if he will now make the necessary finance for these purposes available to the council.

In so far as local authority housing schemes are concerned, the council have been allocated sufficient capital to meet commitments arising in the current financial year on works in progress and to proceed with the erection of 14 additional cottages. They have been informed that approval to the acceptance of further tenders must be deferred pending the current general review of the capital position. Tenders for only three of their cottages are awaiting sanction in my Department at present.

Regarding public water supply and sewerage schemes, capital allocations for the current financial year in respect of sanitary and other services were notified recently to local authorities.

The capital allocation of £14,000 for 1966-67 for house-purchase loans is in excess of the council's firm commitments and should be sufficient, in conjunction with the small credit balance which they had on hands at 31st March last, to enable them meet requirements in respect of payments in the current financial year and in the light of the assurance already given to them of an equivalent allocation for 1967-68 to meet reasonable forward commitments.

I feel sure the Minister is aware that South Tipperary County Council had won for itself the name of being a progressive, if not the most progressive council in all Ireland in respect of the extension of piped water and that by reason of the lack of financial accommodation at the present time, their proposals for new regional schemes have been completely disrupted; further, that there are, in fact, three regional schemes, namely Ardfinnan, Dundrum and Emly, which are ready to go to the contractor, if money can be made available. Is the Minister further aware that the direct labour gangs in respect of repairs to cottages have been abandoned and is he not aware that the money for SDA loans for new houses is, to my knowledge, exhausted at the present time and that no further loans can be made available? In these circumstances, will he come to the rescue of the council and make available a sufficiency of money to assist the council to honour its obligations to its people in respect of these essential services?

Again I repeat for the Deputy what I have said. My understanding of the situation in regard to the loan position for house purchase is that the allocation for the year is in excess of the council's firm commitments and more than sufficient, in conjunction with the credit balance which they had at 31st March last, to enable them to meet requirements in respect of payments in the current financial year. I cannot add further to that. If it can be shown that this is not so, this is something which will have to be taken into consideration in any further reviews which may take place.

In so far as the overall request for money for all the various programmes which the county council has on hand is concerned, I can only say that, as far as the allocation notified to them is concerned, to whatever degree it was utilised for the present, that is the furthest I can go at the moment and that my own wish naturally would be that the progressiveness of the South Tipperary County Council's record should not be marred in any way, and will not be in so far as I can help them in the future.

Did I hear the Minister say that a recent allocation of money has been made available to this council? If so, what was the amount?

What I said was that the sanitary services, water and sewerage schemes have been notified recently to the councils. I have not got the amount for any particular county here as the moment but they have all been notified of this within the past week.

The Minister cannot tell me the figure now?

I am afraid I have not got that at the moment.

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