andMr. Clinton asked the Minister for Local Government the number of playgrounds in the Ballymun satellite town, Dublin; and the number of children catered for by these playgrounds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballymun (Dublin) Amenities.
26.
With regard to recreational facilities generally in Ballymun, I would refer the Deputies to the reply to Question No. 25 of 14th April last. I understand that five playspaces for young children, and two all-weather play areas for football, etc. have already been provided in Ballymun and that eight further playspaces and one all-weather play area are under construction there. It is not practicable to say how many children will be catered for by these playgrounds.
Would the Minister not agree that it would be impossible to cater or to plan accurately for a group of children without knowing how many you are planning for?
It is roughly estimated that at present the total juvenile population in Ballymun is about 8,000 and this is the figure they are keeping in mind.
Is the Minister aware that this figure will be increasing?
I expect so.
27.
andMr. Clinton asked the Minister for Local Government if he will consider the urgency of installing toilets on the ground floors of the flats in the Ballymun satellite town, Dublin, for the convenience of all the young children living there.
This is a matter for consideration in the first instance by the housing authority.
The Minister must be aware that this satellite town was not, in fact, built by the housing authority but by the National Building Agency. There were no plans at all for ground floor toilets for those young children, 8,000 of whom the Minister says are in residence there at the moment. With the lifts being out of order, unhealthy and insanitary conditions prevail in Ballymun.
Any initiative at this stage in the provision of toilets rests with Dublin Corporation and no proposals have been brought before my Department by the corporation.
Would the Minister recommend that they provide those toilets?
I will take the matter up with the corporation.
Would the Minister not agree that the situation revealed by this question as, indeed, many other situations that have come to light in regard to Ballymun, indicates a gross defect of planning of all the amenities of that satellite town of a culpable and scandalous nature?
There are public toilets in the shopping area in the course of erection.
Is the Minister aware that there are no toilets in the shopping area yet?
They are under construction.
They were only started two days ago. Is the Minister also aware that some of those flats are 12 storeys high and how does he expect children to go upstairs to the toilet when there are none on the ground floor? It is the most stupid thing imaginable not to have toilets down on ground level.
28.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will take urgent steps to remove all abandoned car wrecks from the parking spaces in Ballymun satellite town, Dublin, because the many cars left there are, in the absence of adequate playing facilities, a dangerous hazard to the young children living in the satellite town.
I am not empowered to remove abandoned vehicles. Apart from powers exercised by a local authority under the sanitary services code, existing powers to deal with abandoned vehicles are contained in section 97 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961. In pursuance of that section a member of the Garda Síochána may remove a vehicle which has been abandoned on a public road or may cause any other person to remove it. Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968, substituted a new section for section 97 which empowers me to make regulations providing for the removal, storage and disposal of vehicles which have been, or appear to have been, abandoned on a public road or in a public car park or which have been parked illegally. These powers would be exercisable by the local authority or the Garda as may be appropriate. At this stage, final drafting of the proposed regulations is proceeding.
Is the Minister aware from the answer he has given to previous questions already today that 8,000 juveniles living in Ballymun have only five small playing areas available to them, that there is a high number of abandoned, dangerous vehicles in Ballymun town which have caused numerous and serious injuries to the juveniles playing there? Would he use his good offices with the Department of Justice to have these dangerous vehicles removed immediately?
I think the Deputy will agree there has been an improvement recently in the position in Ballymun regarding those vehicles.
It is long overdue.
It is getting worse.
29.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he intends replacing the poor quality lifts in Ballymun, Dublin, with better lifts.
30.
asked the Minister for Local Government the year the lifts which are used in Ballymun flats, Dublin, were designed and manufactured; if cheaper lifts were available; and if these lifts were designed to withstand all weather conditions or were designed for internal use only.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 29 and 30 together.
I do not accept that the lifts in Ballymun are of poor quality. On the contrary, I am advised that these lifts are of sophisticated design and robust construction. Their design commenced in September, 1965. Manufacture began soon afterwards and continued, up to last year, during the course of construction of the flats. The National Building Agency Limited accepted the lowest tender for the supply of the lifts which had to comply with an exacting standard specified by them. The lifts were so designed that their operation would be unaffected by adverse weather conditions, and that they would be used internally, in accordance with normal practice.
The Minister must be aware that the majority of those lifts are subject to severe weather conditions and are not used internally, that all the lifts of the eight storey blocks are open to the weather, have rusted and are continually breaking down?
We cannot have a debate on this. We cannot have a speech on those questions.
Is the Minister aware that this is the situation pertaining to the high quality sophisticated lifts?
I am not so aware.
Would the Minister consider visiting Ballymun?
I intend visiting Ballymun in the very near future.
Is the Minister aware that the lifts which are described as being "of sophisticated design and robust construction" have malfunctioned frequently?
We cannot have a speech on this. The Deputy is entitled to ask a question.
I am asking a question. I am asking if the Minister is aware that the malfunction of those lifts described in this ridiculous manner in his reply is giving rise to a great deal of inconvenience and hardship to the people who live in those high rise buildings?
This is a speech.
The latest report I have had on this is dated the 5th of this month. On that date the architects reported that all the lifts were in working order. I am informed that there is no need to consider replacing those lifts and in any event the initiative again would have to be taken by Dublin Corporation if there were any such proposals and they would be brought to our notice. The lifts, as I explained, were designed to very specific standards. These standards were complied with. The lifts are of a very strong and robust nature and of sophisticated design.
They are of a robust nature on the ground floor.
Could the Minister clarify whether he has, in fact, accepted the cheapest lifts available for Ballymun?
The question as to whether the cheapest lifts available were used does not arise.
You accepted the lowest tender offered.
The lowest tender complied with the exacting specifications laid down by the NBA and it would be rather strange if they did not accept them.
Does it not seem strange to the Minister that he is now holding the corporation responsible for the specification of lifts which were made out by the Department and not by the corporation?
I am not holding the corporation responsible for the specification. What I am saying to the Deputy is that if there is any question of replacing those lifts it is a matter for Dublin Corporation.
Could I ask the Minister if, in fact, he is satisfied, and he is now giving the House an assurance that those lifts have been performing up to the specification?
The information I have —after all, I am not infallible in this question and I do not think anybody would expect me to make statements in answer to that type of question—in the latest report available to me, dated 5th of this month is that all of those lifts are in working order. It is quite natural to expect that lifts which receive such frequent use would go out of commission now and again. I would be most concerned if they were left out of commission for a long period for then, I think, the Deputy would have a genuine complaint.
Would the Minister accompany me on a visit to Ballymun?
I am calling Question No. 31. We cannot discuss this particular question all evening.