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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 18 Dec 1969

Vol. 243 No. 11

Ceisteanna—Questions, Oral Answers. - Dublin Corporation Housing List.

17.

asked the Minister for Local Government when an up-to-date list of the number of families with (i) one child, (ii) two children, (iii) three children, (iv) four children and (v) five children and over on the Dublin Corporation's housing list will be made available.

I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 12 of the 30th October last in which I stated that I have no information as to when the next general review of the Dublin Corporation's waiting list will be undertaken. In any event, the number of children is not shown separately on the corporation's approved waiting list as their classification is by number of persons in a family. Apart from sons and daughters, aged or infirm grandparents and, in certain circumstances, other persons including persons residing for a long time with the family, are regarded by the corporation as members of an applicant's family.

Has the Department any opinion on the necessity for Dublin Corporation having an up-to-date list as requested in the question?

I do not think they should have to keep it up to date from week to week and month to month. They have more important work to do than that. They keep it reasonably up to date. In any case, they would not have this information as, unlike Deputy O'Connell, they regard grandparents residing with the family as being members of the family. Deputy O'Connell apparently wants them to be excluded.

Would the Minister agree that it is important, as he has already admitted his ignorance of waiting lists of local authorities around the country, that Dublin Corporation should have this list as up to date as possible so that we can assess the gravity of the housing needs?

Yes, to have it reasonably up to date, which they do, but what the Deputy wants is continuous revision and that would be ridiculous.

May I inquire from the Minister when the last review of this nature was undertaken by Dublin Corporation, as known to him?

That is not the question I was asked.

Up to date until when?

No, it was not asked.

The Minister has said that we cannot do it within certain periods.

I did not say any such thing.

Could the Minister say on what exact base he is now acting? Surely that information has been given to him by the civil servants?

I have not this information at all. The corporation do not differentiate between children and other persons who are members of a family.

In view of the Minister's obvious concern for the housing situation in Dublin city, as evidenced by his answers, would he consider sending a mere Christmas note to the City Commissioner asking him to go through the files of Dublin Corporation—the 6,000 or 7,000 current applicants—in order to derive this information? I do not think it would be beyond the capacity of the Minister.

We cannot have a statement on this.

I wonder if that would qualify as "a pip-squeak statement by an extremist, off-beat, jumped-up, overnight politician"?

The Minister and his wife and family have not to spend Christmas in a one-roomed flat in Dublin city. If he had, he would not have a grin on his face.

Neither has Deputy Desmond.

I am proud to say that I do not have to do so but it is no credit to the Minister.

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