Vol. 280 No. 6
asked the Minister for Local Government if, in respect of each housing authority, he will state the total amount requested for the 1975 financial year in respect of (a) the erection of local authority houses and (b) the repayment of grants and loans; and the total amount allocated by him in respect of (a) and (b) for 1975.
44.
asked the Minister for Local Government the housing allocation made to each local authority for 1975; and the amount already paid in each case.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 44 together.
I assume that Deputy Molloy's question is intended to refer to the 1975 capital allocation for the local authority housing construction programmes. As regards the capital allocation for house purchase loans and supplementary grants, initial allocations were made to each local authority on 21st February, 1975, in respect of the six-month period ending on 30th June, 1975. A supplementary allocation will be made in respect of the six-month period to 31st December, 1975, later in the year.
As the reply to the remainder of the questions is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Housing Authority |
Local authority housing |
House-purchase loans and supplementary grants |
|||
|
Amount of capital requested by housing authority for 1975 |
Amount of capital allocated up to 18th April 1975 |
Amount of capital drawn to date |
Amount of capital requested |
Amount of initial capital allocations |
|
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
County Councils: |
|||||
|
Carlow |
685,598 |
520,000 |
120,300 |
650,350 |
240,000 |
|
Cavan |
567,600 |
350,000 |
169,000 |
567,506 |
264,000 |
|
Clare |
1,246,000 |
565,000 |
25,500 |
1,490,500 |
750,000 |
|
Cork North |
700,000 |
480,000 |
35,500 |
||
|
Cork South |
2,335,000 |
1,330,000 |
104,000 |
6,500,000 |
2,160,000 |
|
Cork West |
518,133 |
340,000 |
2,000 |
||
|
Donegal |
2,111,800 |
1,476,000 |
215,400 |
851,500 |
426,000 |
|
Dublin |
9,313,750 |
8,500,000 |
3,507,400 |
15,000,000 |
7,500,000 |
|
Galway |
938,000 |
440,000 |
106,000 |
1,000,000 |
450,000 |
|
Kerry |
1,430,000 |
1,000,000 |
256,470 |
2,781,660 |
540,000 |
|
Kildare |
2,428,970 |
1,800,000 |
684,100 |
1,550,000 |
660,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
715,114 |
535,000 |
223,250 |
1,222,300 |
500,000 |
|
Laois |
974,852 |
620,000 |
187,500 |
700,400 |
276,000 |
|
Leitrim |
455,000 |
250,000 |
50,000 |
354,500 |
180,000 |
|
Limerick |
800,000 |
705,000 |
30,100 |
2,311,000 |
960,000 |
|
Longford |
850,000 |
335,000 |
80,000 |
692,000 |
240,000 |
|
Louth |
562,613 |
300,000 |
38,000 |
745,000 |
360,000 |
|
Mayo |
878,323 |
320,000 |
229,000 |
1,600,000 |
412,000 |
|
Meath |
1,594,900 |
1,100,000 |
350,000 |
1,981,000 |
1,000,000 |
|
Monaghan |
372,500 |
200,000 |
17,500 |
724,000 |
368,000 |
|
Offaly |
801,000 |
515,000 |
204,800 |
740,000 |
330,000 |
|
Roscommon |
556,500 |
290,000 |
100,000 |
737,000 |
225,000 |
|
Sligo |
507,500 |
200,000 |
35,000 |
495,000 |
180,000 |
|
Tipperary N.R. |
918,143 |
600,000 |
— |
836,595 |
300,000 |
|
Tipperary S.R. |
1,348,500 |
700,000 |
237,700 |
1,300,000 |
474,000 |
|
Waterford |
604,000 |
350,000 |
31,800 |
1,114,000 |
474,000 |
|
Westmeath |
1,072,188 |
440,000 |
100,000 |
1,269,000 |
540,000 |
|
Wexford |
962,150 |
885,000 |
546,119 |
1,150,000 |
480,000 |
|
Wicklow |
1,425,359 |
900,000 |
537,700 |
1,280,000 |
540,000 |
|
County Borough Councils: |
|||||
|
Cork |
2,178,500 |
1,580,000 |
300,000 |
1,350,000 |
653,000 |
|
Dublin |
13,423,900 |
11,500,000 |
2,500,000 |
3,500,000 |
1,680,000 |
|
Limerick |
1,648,635 |
1,250,000 |
490,000 |
600,000 |
240,000 |
|
Waterford |
849,400 |
825,000 |
667,700 |
658,000 |
240,000 |
|
Urban District Councils: |
|||||
|
Arklow |
169,000 |
90,000 |
11,000 |
— |
— |
|
Athlone |
157,100 |
90,000 |
12,000 |
82,000 |
55,000 |
|
Athy |
295,800 |
148,000 |
101,000 |
— |
— |
|
Ballina |
155,700 |
90,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Ballinasloe |
73,000 |
85,000 |
8,575 |
— |
— |
|
Birr |
190,965 |
160,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Bray |
291,700 |
70,000 |
3,000 |
249,700 |
120,000 |
|
Buncrana |
118,700 |
106,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Bundoran |
39,000 |
40,000 |
21,000 |
— |
— |
|
Carlow |
137,000 |
115,000 |
6,200 |
— |
— |
|
Carrickmacross |
138,600 |
70,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Carrick-on-Suir |
457,188 |
200,000 |
46,900 |
— |
— |
|
Cashel |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Castlebar |
23,000 |
23,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Castleblayney |
62,400 |
60,000 |
45,400 |
— |
— |
|
Cavan |
80,000 |
64,000 |
49,000 |
— |
— |
|
Ceannannus Mór |
212,100 |
135,000 |
50,000 |
— |
— |
|
Clonakilty |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Clones |
18,100 |
18,000 |
21,100 |
— |
— |
|
Clonmel |
730,000 |
570,000 |
125,000 |
291,000 |
60,000 |
|
Cobh |
475,300 |
120,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Drogheda |
562,200 |
560,000 |
275,000 |
625,000 |
210,000 |
|
Dundalk |
1,241,300 |
1,100,000 |
728,000 |
760,000 |
240,000 |
|
Dungarvan |
393,816 |
320,000 |
100,000 |
— |
— |
|
Dunlaoire |
1,648,635 |
1,500,000 |
925,000 |
80,000 |
30,000 |
|
Ennis |
342,233 |
308,000 |
78,000 |
— |
— |
|
Enniscorthy |
264,000 |
137,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Fermoy |
150,000 |
150,000 |
40,000 |
— |
— |
|
Galway |
919,000 |
660,000 |
125,000 |
300,000 |
60,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
313,136 |
170,000 |
5,000 |
209,000 |
60,000 |
|
Killarney |
219,900 |
116,000 |
32,500 |
— |
— |
|
Kilrush |
110,000 |
85,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Kinsale |
105,000 |
30,000 |
6,900 |
— |
— |
|
Letterkenny |
192,000 |
135,000 |
54,000 |
— |
— |
|
Listowel |
55,000 |
40,000 |
15,000 |
— |
— |
|
Longford |
16,126 |
(adequate credit balance available) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Macroom |
97,700 |
86,000 |
23,100 |
— |
— |
|
Mallow |
207,000 |
202,000 |
70,500 |
— |
— |
|
Midleton |
201,500 |
90,000 |
28,500 |
— |
— |
|
Monaghan |
664,000 |
600,000 |
350,000 |
— |
— |
|
Naas |
125,000 |
135,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Navan |
31,000 |
50,000 |
8,600 |
— |
— |
|
Nenagh |
128,500 |
100,000 |
12,000 |
— |
— |
|
New Ross |
372,813 |
260,000 |
121,600 |
— |
— |
|
Skibbereen |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Sligo |
648,300 |
570,000 |
242,000 |
275,235 |
93,000 |
|
Templemore |
131,000 |
80,000 |
40,000 |
— |
— |
|
Thurles |
255,000 |
220,000 |
50,000 |
— |
— |
|
Tipperary |
473,000 |
425,000 |
30,000 |
— |
— |
|
Tralee |
523,300 |
375,000 |
120,000 |
— |
— |
|
Trim |
107,500 |
100,000 |
70,000 |
— |
— |
|
Tullamore |
301,390 |
280,000 |
48,900 |
— |
— |
|
Westport |
110,000 |
60,000 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Wexford |
463,000 |
365,000 |
245,000 |
80,000 |
30,000 |
|
Wicklow |
273,000 |
124,000 |
10,000 |
— |
— |
|
Youghal |
157,500 |
32,000 |
— |
— |
— |
NOTES:
(1) The figures in columns (2), (3) and (4) include capital for schemes being undertaken by the National Building Agency Ltd on behalf of local authorities.
(2) The figures in column (4) are issues from the Local Loans Fund for local authority housing in the period from 1st January, 1975 to 18th April, 1975.
(3) The Government announced on 21st February, 1975, that steps were being taken to provide an extra £7 million for local authority housing in 1975. The amounts shown in the schedule should be regarded as provisional amounts pending the examination of requests for additional funds made by housing authorities.
A decision on the final capital allocations for 1975 will not be made until later in the year.
(4) The house purchase loans scheme for the urban areas with a "nil" capital allocation is administered by the appropriate County Council.
Would the Minister state when he expects to reach a decision as to when the extra £7 million will be allocated for housing?
At present officials of my Department are interviewing county councils who have made representations for a special allocation. According as they justify the amounts, the extra money is being made available to them.
Would the Minister state now what is the discrepancy between the total amount requested by each housing authority and the total amount already allocated by the Minister to each of them?
Would I what?
Would the Minister state the discrepancy between the total amount requested by each housing authority and allocated by the Minister to each housing authority?
That would be a separate question.
Some of that is in the tabular statement which is far too long to read to the House.
Surely it is necessary that the Minister add up?
Question No. 45.
Is the Minister not aware that it is necessary for him to total the figures?
Statistical information is always given in tabular form.
Is the Minister aware that it is necessary for him to tot up the amount requested by each local authority, as against the amounts allocated by him to each local authority in respect of housing?
I think the Deputy has not got the point. I said an initial allocation up to 30th June was made available and that there will be a further allocation made from 30th June to 31st December. Therefore, it makes no difference what the discrepancy is between the allocation and the amount requested because, until the second allocation is made, councils will not be aware whether or not there is a deficiency.
Would the Minister indicate if this practice of making two separate allocations is a new departure?
That is a separate question.
It was done before; there is nothing new about it.
Is it not preferable that local authorities would be informed at the beginning of the year of their allocation for the whole year so that they could plan accordingly?
No, because as the Deputy is aware, changing costs make it somewhat difficult to decide what will be the exact amount of money required. Therefore, it is a much fairer way to estimate for six months and then for a further six months. At least it gives local authorities a better chance of knowing the amount they require and the amount they they will be able to spend.
One final supplementary——
There have been so many final supplementaries we have got to Question No. 44 only at 4.25 p.m.
Is the Minister not aware that the suggestions he has made really put local authorities into complete disarray as regards the planning of housing in their areas?
That should be the subject matter of a separate question.
Furthermore, is he aware that local authorities cannot plan, cannot hope to attain their targets when they do not know, at the commencement of any financial year, what money they will have to expend during the whole of that financial year?
Question No. 45.
There is no point in repeating something if the Deputy does not want to understand it. I have already said on a number of occasions in this House that local authorities have been instructed to plan a programme of housing, to proceed with any plans they had and that the necessary money would be made available. I have repeated that now for the umpteenth time. There is no question whatever of a local authority not being able to get the money they require. As a matter of fact, the local authority about which the Deputy speaks in my opinion will not be able to spend the money they will get.
Question No. 45. I have allowed as many supplementaries as could be regarded as reasonable on this question.
Two questions were taken together. Can the Minister explain why the allocation to Galway County Council was cut down to £440,000, whereas they requested £938,000?
The Deputy would need to put down a specific question on that account.
That would be £880,000 for a whole year, without talking about the additional £7 million. If the Deputy takes that into account he will find probably that Galway County Council are coming fairly well out of it and there is another aspect of it if Deputy Molloy would like to put down a separate question about that I shall take great pleasure in answering it next week and giving him the fullest details.
Question No. 45. The Deputy asked for one supplementary and he was allowed one.
In order to get some satisfaction in the matter and to clarify the points that have been discussed perhaps the Chair would allow me ask one further supplementary? Is the Minister aware that the deputy county manager informed the housing committee of Galway County Council that the capital allocation for 1975 was £440,000, that the council had in fact requested £938,000, and that the council's housing programme for 1975 has been seriously interferred with because of this decision?
The Deputy is asking a specific question.
I do not believe so. As a matter of fact, Galway County Council have drawn only £106,000 of that already, with four months of the year already passed, which shows——
The whole amount could be drawn in the last month, December. It is the allocation that counts.
Question No. 45.
Galway County Council, like other local authorities, have been instructed to build houses and told they will receive the money. This is the first time——
The Minister has been confronted with the facts here and he cannot wriggle out of that one.
This is the first time——
They are getting only half what they asked for.
This is the first time this has been done, that local authorities have been told they will get the money they require to meet their housing needs. When Deputy Molloy was here—let him look back again— they got a fraction of what they needed. We are now giving them five times as much as was given by Fianna Fáil.
They are entitled to exactly what they requested, and more.
Is it not a fact that the Minister——
Shouting will not get Deputies any further with the Chair. Question No. 45.
Is it not a fact that the Minister——
Deputy O'Leary will have to resume his seat.
Is it not a fact that the Minister has sent officials round the country to tell various housing authorities to slow down their programme?
I have not. That is untrue.
Question No. 45. Deputy O'Leary must resume his seat.
The Minister's statement is completely untrue. He sent officials around the country to tell housing authorities to slow down their building programmes.
Deputy O'Leary will please resume his seat.
Deputy O'Leary does not appear to understand the position. There were 7,250 house built last year as against 4,000 local authority houses when Fianna Fáil were in power. For goodness sake, will they catch themselves on?
