asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that certain house builders in the Dublin region refuse to sell houses to purchasers who propose to get loans through Dublin County Council or Dublin Corporation; and if there is any action he can take to remedy this situation which causes grave inconvenience to house purchasers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Houses.
4.
I am aware that some builders are not normally prepared to sell houses to persons proposing to obtain local authority house-purchase loans, because of certain requirements of the authorities, including requirements that the builder remedy structural defects occurring within a specific period of completion of the house and comply with certain planning conditions of the authority. I cannot direct a builder to sell a house to a person proposing to finance the purchase in a particular manner. I am, however, examining the position generally.
Is the Parliamentary Secretatry aware that the Minister for Local Government here last week said that he did not believe that such builders were in existence in the Dublin area and now in the reply it is admitted there are those builders and reasons are given why they exist?
I do not know what the Minister did or did not admit last week, but that is the reply to the question.
Is that the reason the Minister is absent and the Parliamentary Secretary is answering the question?
It is well known that the Minister is at a function.