asked the Minister for Local Government the number of licences which have been issued for temporary dwellings in the PortraneDonabate area of County Dublin.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Portrane-Donabate (Dublin) Temporary Dwellings.
20.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.
Licences issued under section 34 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1948, for the use of land as sites for temporary dwellings are valid for a period of 12 months only. Three such licences were issued by Dublin County Council in 1968 for the Port-rane-Donabate area. No licence was issued in that year in respect of Portmarnock village.
Might I inform the Minister that in the Portmarnock area there are 180 caravans, that in the PortraneDonabate area there are 1,000 camp dwellers and there are caravans there also?
This is a matter for the local authority. As I say, no licence was issued last year in respect of Portmarnock village.
Why are there no prosecutions?
The local authority have not taken any positive action in that regard.
Can we take it that it is the responsibility of the local authority to get those people shifted?
Yes.
Is the Minister aware of the fact that most of those people in caravans are people with no proper homes and that this is due to the fact that Dublin County Council are not able to supply houses?
The Deputy knows nothing about it.
I know all about it. I know all about Portmarnock.
Those are people who come out from Dublin city to stay in the summer and who leave those dwellings there afterwards. The Deputy knows nothing about it.
People are living there in winter.
Are Deputy Foley and the Minister for Local Government not in the same constituency?
He has drawn it so that they will not be.
This is a matter for the local authority.