Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 Jun 1929

Vol. 12 No. 15

Public Business. - Civic Guards (Acquisition of Premises) (Amendment) Bill, 1929—Second Stage.

Question proposed: "That the Civic Guard (Acquisition of Premises) (Amendment) Bill, 1929, be read a Second Time."

Minister for Justice (Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney)

This Bill proposes to extend for another year the period during which the Board of Works may exercise the powers of compulsory acquisition of premises which were conferred on them by the Civic Guard (Acquisition of Premises) Act, 1923. The total number of cases in which these powers have been exercised by the Board of Works is 85, and in 45 of these cases the premises have since been evacuated by the Guards, leaving 40 still occupied. In most of these 40 cases the Board have succeeded in arranging terms of tenancy amicably. In a few cases they were compelled to fix rents under the powers conferred upon them by the Act. A considerable amount of progress has been made in housing the Guards, but there are still a number of stations, roughly, about 200, in which the premises now occupied by the Guards are not suitable for permanent occupation, and the Board of Works are of opinion that the powers which they have under this temporary Act should be extended for another year.

These powers are only exercised in cases where the owners have proved very unreasonable, and in no case have they or will they be exercised where it would mean any hardship on the owner or owners.

Colonel Moore

I would like to point out some extravagances about these buildings. In a certain town in the West of Ireland a fine building was used as a barracks. It was the best building in this small town, but it was destroyed. It has since been restored. When it was burned the roof fell in. It was a remarkable building, and in a small way, was an ornament to the town. If the roof had been restored in the way it had stood, it would have done. Instead of that two or three months were spent in pulling down part of the top storey and lowering the walls nearly to the windows of the upper floor. I happen to know that the house was in good order. The walls were strong, but they were lowered, although no damage had been done to them. There was no object whatever in pulling down the walls and wasting two or three months labour. The Minister is not responsible for that, but it has been done, and there has been waste of labour and waste of time. Not only has that been done but the building now looks ridiculous—the roof sitting down on a level with the windows. The arrangement was a most absurd and ludicrous one, and the result is that the building has a bad appearance, and that there has been an absurd waste of money.

Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney

That matter hardly arises on this Bill, which merely enables houses to be taken compulsorily for a short time, until the Board of Works are able to provide proper housing for the Guards in various localities. I presume the Board of Works engineers in the case referred to—and I do not know what town Senator Moore is referring to——

Colonel Moore

The town of Balla. I am sure the Minister knows it well.

Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney

I know the town well, and I know the barracks, but I must frankly confess no alteration in the appearance of the barracks has caught my eye. The Board of Works have got a very competent staff of engineers, and I imagine that their engineers, after inspection, decided what should be done. I imagine that the engineer, who is a trained man, would see what should be done and he is in a better position to judge than a person who walks along the street and takes a casual glance at it.

Colonel Moore

I am not in that position——

Cathaoirleach

You have made your speech, Senator.

Question put and agreed to.

Committee Stage fixed for to-morrow.