asked the Minister for Local Government the work programme which was set out for the National Building Agency when it was set up in 1964; what it has since achieved; what the cost has been of keeping the agency in existence; and how many people have been employed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Building Agency.
15.
The National Building Agency was established in 1960 with the primary object of providing housing and ancillary services at centres where industrial developments necessitate the recruitment of personnel whose housing requirements could not appropriately be met by the local authority or by private enterprise. It was also intended to act in an agency capacity for Departments of State in special circumstances in meeting the housing needs of State employees. The Agency's functions were extended in 1965 to cover such activities relating to housing and environmental services as may be assigned by me from time to time.
In the industrial field the Agency has provided or is in course of providing some 700 houses since it commenced its operations at a capital cost in the order of £2m. including 40 houses in Waterford and a further 40 in Galway to serve the needs of the new industrial estates in these cities. An additional 200 houses are being planned to meet the requirements of industry in other areas.
At the request of the Minister for Justice the Agency has up to 31st March last provided 440 houses for members of the Garda Síochána at a large number of widely dispersed areas throughout the country at a capital cost of about £1 million. In carrying out this programme the Agency invited tenders for groups of houses on a regional basis in the interests of economy and efficiency with consequential reductions in housing costs and savings to state funds.
In consultation with my Department, and with the co-operation of housing authorities, the Agency has provided or is providing 223 houses for sale to co-operative groups of persons who have experienced difficulties in providing their own houses, and a further 48 such houses are at planning stage. The total capital cost involved is of the order of £780,000.
In addition, at my request, the Agency this year has embarked on a programme of low cost houses in a number of different towns to meet the needs of persons of modest income who have not been able to purchase houses at the current level of prices. A contract has recently been placed for one such scheme and plans are in train for the provision of up to 600 such houses over the next few years.
In order to minimise the effect of rising costs the Agency has devoted special attention to the design of its houses, and has made good progress in the evolution of forms of construction which have proved to be economical and speedy to build. Three bed-roomed grant size houses with partial central heating have been provided at as low an all-in-cost as £2,600.
The Agency is also carrying out for Dublin Corporation a scheme of 3,021 dwellings at Ballymun at a target cost of £9.8 million and is negotiating contracts at present for the provision of 1,800 dwellings in Cork and 600 dwellings in Limerick at the request of these housing authorities.
In addition to these two major projects the Agency is providing schemes of local authority houses in a number of other areas at the special request of the authorities. These schemes comprise some 202 dwellings at an estimated cost of £464,000. Savings in costs have been achieved.
The published accounts of the Agency which are laid before the House annually show a trading surplus in each year of its existence after overheads and all expenses including depreciation have been covered. No charge on the Exchequer has therefore arisen.
The annual average number of people employed by the Agency for the five year period ended 31st March, 1967 was 17; 25 are employed at present.