asked the Minister for the Environment the cost to the Exchequer of the additional housing for Dublin as outlined in the arrangement between Deputies Haughey and Gregory-Independent and announced in the Dáil on 9 March 1982.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Housing.
22.
(Dublin South-East): The Minister for Finance in his budget speech of 25 March 1982 stated that an additional £14 million will be made available to Dublin Corporation for house construction, especially for urban renewal purposes, in the current year bringing the total allocation from £62 million to £76 million. The additional capital will enable the Dublin Corporation to boost work in progress by 650 dwellings and employment by about 500 at the end of this year compared with the end of 1981.
Has any of that money yet been paid to the local authorities?
(Dublin South-East): I would not have that information for the Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that not a penny has in fact been paid, that interest payments on the debt arising at local authority level are of the order of £20,000 per week and that the local authorities are naturally very concerned about this? Would the Minister please ensure that whatever moneys have been promised will be paid as quickly as possible?
(Dublin South-East): Yes. I am not quite sure in the context of the reply what the Deputy is actually indicating. I must compliment him on his adroitness in asking supplementary questions.
Would it be within the brief of Dublin Corporation to expend portion of the money on the construction of houses in county areas or would that money be confined to inner-city housing construction?
(Dublin South-East): It will not apply only to inner-city houses. I have a complete list of the starts here with which I shall be happy to furnish the Deputy.
Are there any in County Dublin?
(Dublin South-East): I should have to go through them all. I shall be happy to communicate with the Deputy about the matter later.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I understood the Minister to say that the money involved——
(Dublin South-East): The total allocation goes from £62 million to £76 million.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Did I understand the Minister to say that this is to be applied towards building houses and could he say when these houses will start or what arrangements have been made regarding them?
(Dublin South-East): Yes. I certainly can. It is quite a detailed list and I have it before me. In the inner-city, which is designated northside and south-side, there are seven such starts projected for 1982 — I am sure the Deputy is speaking about those.
There are ten starts on the south side. These were actually published in the newspapers about a week ago. Of other schemes there are 12, and in the county areas — for Deputy Taylor — there are nine schemes. If the House is agreeable I shall read them all out or I shall circulate the list. It is probably better to do that. It is split north side and south side in Dublin: 343 on the north side and 345 on the south side; other areas, 382. The total is 2,033.
(Cavan-Monaghan): What is the total cost of those houses?
(Dublin South-East): This is getting down to very specific detail. I am not in a position to give all that information now.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Are these imaginary schemes?
(Dublin South-East): My goodness, no.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Have they been planned and sent for contract?
(Dublin South-East): I have always known the Deputy to be very particular and detailed and very adept in the art of asking supplementary questions. However, as regards that question, if the Deputy were familiar with what is happening at present in the schemes, he would know that Montpelier Hill, for instance, was started six weeks ago or more. Many other schemes are well in train at the moment. They are certainly not in any way imaginary schemes. They are well drafted out by Dublin Corporation and I am quite sure that any Deputies who are members of Dublin Corporation are very familiar with them and have been present on the sites and at the openings.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I was trying to see what sort of deal Deputy Gregory-Independent got.
To make sure what sort of deal he got, would the Minister confirm that the Montpelier Hill scheme has been planned for years and was well planned and well in progress long before Deputy Gregory or Deputy Haughey ever sat down in Summerhill?
(Dublin South-East): I do not imagine any question was asked. I did not hear one anyhow.
The Minister of State has stated that he is providing for 2,033 houses. Will he inform me if the land has been acquired to build that number of houses?
(Dublin South-East): The Deputy probably realises that I would have to go through each scheme before a figure would emerge.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.