(Cavan-Monaghan) and Mr. F. O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment when it is proposed to open the housing section of his Department at O'Connell Bridge House, Dublin to the public; when the staff of the office intend to resume dealing with the public by telephone and if he will outline the reasons for closing the office.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Department's Office Closure.
12.
Mr. T.J. Fitzpatrick
The offices of the housing grants section at O'Connell Bridge House at which grant applicants and persons making representations on their behalf seek information have been closed temporarily to the public in order to speed up the processing of house improvement grant applications received following the announcement of the termination of certain house improvement grants. For the same reason, it was necessary also to suspend the telephone service to the grants section.
A review of the position has been made and, notwithstanding the large amount of overtime worked since, it will not be practicable to reopen the offices to the public or to restore normal telephone services to the grants section until Monday, 14 April 1980.
That is a very unacceptable position. The Minister after a few weeks is now a redundant Minister. He does not seem to be required as his office is closed. It is literally a Government behind closed doors with both the income tax office and this office closed.
I wish to inform Deputy O'Brien if he writes to me he will get an answer very quickly.
Will the public?
Yes. If the Deputy wants more information I will be only too glad to let him have it.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is the Minister aware that the public are not getting replies?
All the people who have submitted applications to the housing section are receiving their acknowledgements at the rate of 2,000 a day, which is some going. I will give the Deputy the figures if he wants them.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Surely the Minister is aware that people who put in applications three to six months ago have not heard from the Department since?
You will always hear about that.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Lord preserve us. We will have a Bill in half an hour to create more of them.
(Interruptions.)
Is the Minister aware that applications for grants to his Department are not being dealt with? As a public representative the only way I can get satisfaction from the Department is through a parliamentary question. The Minister's Department are slow in answering. If the ordinary man in the street writes a letter to the Department he will not be answered.
The Deputy is getting a reply now.
It is only through a parliamentary question.
Question No. 13.
If the Deputy writes to me I will send him a reply very quickly.
I am not concerned about myself. I am talking about applications generally.