asked the Minister for Local Government when the national house conditions sample survey carried out by An Foras Forbartha will be published.
17.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Stock.
16.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has received a report on the condition of the existing housing stock; if he has any plans effectively to preserve the dwellings in perfect condition; and the approximate cost of doing so.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
An Foras Forbartha carried out a sample survey in 1973 of the condition of the existing housing stock. The report of the survey shows that it covered only a very small sample of dwellings and it was, therefore, decided to get more detailed data on a wider range of dwellings. All housing authorities were asked on 1st June last to undertake an assessment of the needs for dwellings in their areas, including an assessment of the needs of households in unfit dwellings. The returns were due to be furnished by all authorities by 1st October last, but some authorities found it was not possible to have their reports completed in time. They have now been asked to have their reports in my Department by the end of this month. A decision on the publication of the survey report will be made as soon as possible after that date. Consideration will then be given also to the action necessary to maintain the stock in the light of the sample survey and the local authority returns. Pending examination of these returns, it is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the cost of this work.
Two years ago the Minister told me that the sample survey had been completed by An Foras Forbartha and that he had returned it to them at that stage for further information. To date, the survey has not been published.
I do not remember giving the Deputy that information two years ago but I remember giving him that information last year. I asked for the survey on 1st June, 1976. The survey which had been produced was not of any use. We had to ask for another survey which I hope to have by the end of this month.
Would the Minister agree that it is impossible to deal with housing problems effectively unless we have details which a survey of this kind would produce?
The Deputy is confusing two matters. If we are talking about people who need rehousing with assistance from the local authorities, there is only one way in which we can get that information, that is, if they apply for rehousing to the local authorities. With regard to the other question, there may be a large number of people who need rehousing but who have not applied for it. It does not matter whether they are recorded in a survey because they feel happy where they are.
Is the Minister aware that the only up-to-date guidelines available on the total housing stock are statistics from the Northern Ireland survey based on the assumption that our housing stock and the Northern Ireland housing stock are comparable. Would the Minister not agree that it would be in the national interest to have this type of survey carried out and published?
I said I had asked for the survey to be made, a survey giving the information required and that I hoped to have it at the end of the month. When we got the survey commissioned by the previous Government the information contained in it was not of any use. I am sure Deputy Faulkner will accept the fact that the information provided in that survey would not answer the question he is asking today.
Can the Minister explain why it has been possible for the Northern Ireland authorities to have a survey of this kind made which has enabled them to deal with this matter, particularly in relation to reconstruction grants?
Deputy Faulkner must not have been listening to the people who visited Dublin from Northern Ireland and who had nothing but admiration for the way in which we are dealing with housing. The position is that we must have the necessary information. I have asked for that information. I have not got the necessary information because the survey commissioned by my predecessor did not ask for the necessary information. We spent two years assessing the information produced by the survey and then found it was of little use. Last year I told Deputy Faulkner that I had commissioned another survey and that I expected to have it by October. As the information requested was not produced in October, I have asked the local authorities to let me have that information by the end of this month and they have promised to do so. When we get that information I shall be in a position to answer Deputy Faulkner's questions.
May I ask one final supplementary?
I have allowed a long series of questions.
I should like to inform the Minister that I was present at the meeting between Belfast Corporation and Dublin Corporation and that I heard what was said by the Belfast Corporation?
I am glad to hear that.
The Belfast Corporation were referring to the scheme for purchasing houses. I am concerned with the housing stock. Would the Minister accept that it is very important that this information should be made available as quickly as possible?
If I did not think it was important I would not have asked for it, and the Belfast representatives were not referring to purchase only; they said they were very much impressed by the housing schemes they saw on their way into Dublin, not alone those in the city.
I missed part of the Minister's answer. Did he say he would publish the report when it was ready?
As soon as I get the the report I will consider it, and I hope it will contain enough useful information to make it worthwhile publishing it. There was no point in publishing the last one. It had not got the information which would be required to give a reasonable assessment.
The Northern Ireland report was an excellent report, but the Minister could still seek further information on it.
They also said the standard of housing in the North was very much lower than in the South. I think Deputy Moore heard that too, because I heard him making a comment about the playing fields when they were explaining that.
They did praise our house purchase schemes——
They praised our houses. Let us not be too shy about these things.
I am not being in the least shy about these things. The point is we also praised their housing up there.
You should not have because some of them are shocking.
They have done some good things too. Anyway the Minister will publish the report?
Yes, if I consider it worthwhile when I get it.
Surely it is vital that it should be published, and we should have that information about total housing stock. It is available in the North.
There are a great many things in the North by which we should not set our standards.
On some things we could.
Playing fields, Deputy Moore said.