asked the Minister for Local Government the number of (i) houses and (ii) flats planned by Dublin Corporation for completion in 1970.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Corporation Housing.
16.
Dublin Corporation expect to complete 2,270 dwellings in 1970-71 including 570 "package-deal" houses. The breakdown of these dwellings between houses and flats is not available in my Department and I have not got any estimate of completions for the calendar year 1970 from the corporation.
Would it be possible for the Minister to get a breakdown of those figures? Surely Dublin Corporation would have this information? As they propose to build houses you would expect them to have some plans for building them. It would not be sufficient that they would just decide to build them and just tell the builders. Surely they would have to have some plans?
The information available in the documents on which tenders are based is quite detailed.
Would the Minister not agree that as his Department give grants for houses and special grants for flats he would have to have those figures?
At the time proposals are made for any scheme my Department are aware of what the proposals are but this is a question of the number which will be actually completed. I have not got a breakdown as between houses and flats.
Would the Minister not have a breakdown of what they expect to have completed by December, 1970? Surely they must have some idea?
I have it for the financial year.
Could we have it?
I gave the Deputy what I have for the financial year, 2,270 dwellings. I have not got the breakdown between houses and flats.
Could the Minister get a breakdown for the financial year?
No, not in that form.
Could we get it?
If the Deputy gets in touch with Dublin Corporation it is possible he may get it.
If I put down a question for next week could I get it?
No, this is not Dublin Corporation.
If I put down a question to the Minister for next week could I get that information?
Put it down but this is all the information I have.
17.
asked the Minister for Local Government the number of persons including applicants and their families on the Dublin Corporation housing list at the latest available date.
I would refer the Deputy to my replies to Questions Nos. 32 to 37 of 18th February, 1969, Questions Nos. 11 and 12 of 30th October, 1969, and Question No. 24 of 11th February last on the subject. No additional information has since been submitted to me by the corporation regarding a further comprehensive review of their approved waiting list.
The Minister stated the information was given in February and October of 1969 and he said there was some information given in February, 1970. The Minister will realise that the housing problem is a serious one and there should be up-to-date information on it. It is not sufficient to say that he replied in February and October, 1969. There should be up-to-date information available to his Department as he is responsible for housing.
The waiting list changes from day to day. It would not be feasible to have it always up to date and there would not be any sense in the corporation maintaining the organisation necessary to have it up to date at any particular time.
Does the Minister not recall that last year he entered into a controversy with members of religious orders in the city about the size of the housing list in Dublin city? Does the Minister not think at that stage he was quite dogmatic in saying there was no crisis? Does he not think if he still retains that dogmatic viewpoint he should have exact figures?
I have more exact figures than anybody in Holy Orders has.
Would the Minister make available quarterly figures on the housing situation?
That is a separate question.
It is not a separate question.
I can certainly give the information about the number of people housed by the local authorities but I cannot have accurate information about the number of people who are on the housing list who have solved their own housing problem in one way or another or the number of such people who may have died.
Could the Minister not provide the information I asked for?
Question No. 18.
I want to give notice of my intention to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Would the Taoiseach consider a reshuffle?
That is what is wrong with the Deputy. There is too much of that in his party.
The Minister is not giving a satisfactory answer.