asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of the hardship and disappointment occasioned by recent increases in prices and deposits required from purchasers of Dublin Corporation houses; and whether, in view of the fact that inflated land prices form a significant part of these housing prices, he is prepared to introduce legislation controlling the prices and conditions of sale of land for development purposes in urban areas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Control of Land Prices.
47.
I assume the Deputy is referring to houses which are being built for Dublin Corporation on a package deal basis. I am aware that the prices of these houses were increased following increases in costs other than the cost of the land, which was bought by the local authority some time ago. Even allowing for this increase the price and deposits payable for the houses compare very favourably with those for other similar houses.
On the general question of land prices, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question on the subject by Deputy Loughnane which I answered on the 19th of this month.
Arising out of the Minister's reply and the earlier reply to which he referred in the course of this reply, in which he referred to constitutional difficulties in the way of controlling the sale of land for development purposes, I should like to ask the Minister whether he has been advised and, if so, by whom, that it would be repugnant to the Constitution to delimit by law the exercise of property rights in relation to the sale of land for development purposes, with a view to reconciling the exercise of these rights with the exigencies of the common good? The Minister will recognise the language of part of that question, I trust.
Yes.
Further arising out of the Minister's reply——
Did the Minister say "yes"? By whom?
Question No. 48.
I want to ask the Minister——
For the Minister to answer questions by saying "yes" is very unsatisfactory.
What does the Deputy want me to say——"No"? That would not be true.
We want more than monosyllabic replies.