asked the Minister for Local Government why the Northern Committee of Cork County Council has not been permitted to proceed with the erection of new houses in Ballyhooly, Ballindangan and Doneraile, for which tenders have already been accepted, until a further submission on them has been furnished to him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Housing.
39.
I am not aware that Cork (North) County Council are unable to proceed with the erection of new houses at these locations. On the contrary, I have told the council that I am concerned that work which is ready to be started should not be held up unnecessarily. The Deputy may have in mind a circular which issued to housing authorities on 14th March, 1975, following the announcement by the Government that steps were being taken to make an additional £7 million available for the local authority housing construction programme in 1975, for which £51 million had already been provided. The circular expressed my concern that work which cannot be financed out of the expenditure already authorised should not be held up unnecessarily; stated that, pending finalisation later in the year of revised allocations from the extra capital made available, local authorities should, where necessary, submit special requests for the authorisation of new work when it is ready to be started; and promised appropriate interim adjustments of the original allocation to allow work on the new schemes to proceed.
I have not since received any such special request from Cork (North) County Council for authorisation to start the schemes referred to by the Deputy. A general request for an additional allocation of £200,000 was made by the council on the same day that the circular letter issued. This request made no reference to specific schemes. Arrangements have been made for officers of my Department to visit the housing authority shortly to examine this claim with the council's officials.
Is the Minister aware that the assistant county manager stated he cannot go ahead with those schemes due to lack of finance?
I suggest that the assistant county manager might possibly reread the circular which was issued and the instructions I have given, that he should not hold up the schemes as the finances will be available.
The Cork assistant county manager is an excellent man of high standing and integrity and we have the greatest confidence in him, more than we have in the Minister. Is the Minister aware of that? He cannot proceed without money and he cannot accept further tenders for houses in north Cork.
The Deputy is making a statement.
This is the first question I have asked on this and I intend to stick to it.
Will the Deputy stick to the question?
Is the Minister aware that no matter what statements he makes here they are no good to the people on the housing list? We cannot accept further tenders. Is the Minister aware that the tenders referred to in this question cannot be proceeded with?
I am not so aware. I am sorry the Deputy does not seem to have heard me so I will raise my voice a little. I have told the manager in writing that if he required extra money along with the money that he had already got all he had to do was to let the Department know. This has not been done by the manager concerned. I have made arrangements for officials in the normal way to go to Cork for the purpose of discussing with the manager what extra money he will require although he has not specifically asked for money for the schemes Deputy Meaney is talking about.
Do I take it from the Minister's reply that the particular area manager requested £200,000 extra? On what date was it requested?
About 14th March he made a blanket application, although he was told we would require specific details of the schemes for which he required the money. He just did not supply them. That may be the fault of the officials or of the elected representatives who apparently did not see what was happening.
Is the Minister aware this man gave the same information as he gave for the last few years when looking for such money?
I am referring to a circular letter which I sent to the manager on 13th March. It specifically told him what he should do and it is not my fault that he has not done that.
The whole point is that the Minister has not given——
I will not allow any further supplementaries on this question. Question No. 40.
This Minister is a complete bluff and the people know it.
That is not true. For the first time Cork County Council are getting money to build houses.
We cannot build houses because we have not got the money. Is the Minister aware we passed a motion of no confidence in him?
That will not worry me. I will sleep as well tonight as I ever did.
Would the Minister proceed with Question No. 40 and would Deputy Meaney allow Question Time to proceed?