asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the serious housing shortage in Mayo; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Housing Shortage.
57.
I am aware that there is an urgent need for many new houses in County Mayo and I have been consistently pressing the county council to improve their progress in dealing with these housing problems.
At present the council have 15 rural cottages under construction; 26 cottages are at tender stage and sites have been or are being acquired for a further 41 cottages. The county council have also provided 40 demountable dwellings and caravans for the re-housing of specially urgent cases in rural areas. Tenders have been approved for 20 more of these dwellings and a further 30 will be provided in 1970-71. To meet the needs of non-municipal towns, the council have acquired housing sites at Belmullet and Foxford and they plan to build initially ten and six houses respectively in these towns.
As regards the urban districts in Mayo, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to his Question No. 74 on the 23rd October last on the subject. Since then contract documents have been prepared for 22 houses in Ballina and I expect that tenders for these will be invited in the near future. Plans are being prepared for the development of a site in Castlebar which will include a scheme of 24 local authority houses. The acceptance of a tender has been approved for 24 houses in Westport.
Is the Minister aware that the number of houses, some of which are at the sanction stage and others are proposals before his Department, are totally inadequate? My main reason for complaint is the delay which occurs in sanctioning these proposals in his Department. Mayo County Council have been told time and time again by their officials that the reason is scarcity of money. Would the Minister ensure when proposals are sent up that they are sanctioned speedily? Further, can the Minister say if money can be made available for these?
The first part of the Deputy's statement is not correct. I did not say there were any proposals from Mayo County Council before my Department. No plans are held up in my Department. On the contrary, I have been pressing Mayo County Council to get on with the job and at last some progress is being made, probably arising from the fact that there has been a change in the composition of Mayo County Council.
Instead of the Minister pressing Mayo County Council would it not be better if the Minister for Local Government got the Minister for Justice to write a letter to the county manager asking him to expedite the building of houses, marking it "private and confidential" and telling him to burn it when he had read it? The Minister for Justice should see to it that his own colleagues get the houses built.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister for Justice is largely responsible for the change of attitude of Mayo County Council. The composition of the county council has now changed with the result that considerable progress is being made in the matter now. I have no doubt whatever that this is largely due to the activities of my colleague.
Would the Minister for Local Government also accept responsibility for the jump of 10/- in the rates?
That has nothing to do with the question asked.
I have not found a way of building houses without money.
Deputy L'Estrange should sell his land to Mayo County Council instead of to foreigners.
(Interruptions.)
I am calling Question No. 58.
The Minister for Justice gave his brother the best farm in County Dublin and he no sooner turned his back than it was being sold as building sites.