asked the Minister for Justice if he has taken any policy decisions as to whether the Government (i) intend to build houses for members of the Garda Síochána who are transferred, and who have on occasions been allowed rented accommodation; (ii) intend to allow existing Garda tenants to buy the houses in which they are presently residing; (iii) the number of houses owned by his Department in which members of the Garda Síochána are presently residing as tenants; and (iv) the number of houses that were formerly used as rented accommodation for members of the Garda Síochána and which have been converted to office accommodation throughout the country for each of the last ten years.
Written Answers. - Official Garda Houses.
50.
The information sought by the Deputy is as follows:——
(i) For a number of years past it has not been the general policy to build official houses for members of the Garda Síochána. Policy has been to build official Garda houses only at locations where a new Garda station is being provided and where it is seen that the provision of official accommodation is necessary because of the particular difficulty members of the force would experience in securing their own accommodation in the locality.
(ii) A claim that members of the force should be allowed to purchase official Garda houses is at present being considered by the Conciliation Council set up under the Garda Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme. As the proceedings of the council are confidential it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on this matter at this stage.
(iii) The number of official houses at present rented by members of the Garda Síochána is 931. All of these houses are vested in the Commissioners of Public Works and are not the property of the Department of Justice.
(iv) The number of houses converted for use as additional Garda station accommodation is as stated below for each year since 1982, when this type of conversion commenced: 1982 — 1; 1983 — 1; 1984 — 4; 1985 — 1; 1986 — 4.