Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Policy.Wednesday, 6 February 1991 |
Dáil Éireann Debate
Page of 128
|
8.
Proinsias De Rossa
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if his attention has been drawn to the recent report of the National Campaign for the Homeless which concluded that homeless people are no better off now than they were prior to the introduction of the Housing Act, 1988; if he intends to undertake any review of the 1988 Act, in the light of the report's findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
13.
Mr. Pattison
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will receive the deputation sought by Carlow Urban District Council regarding the critical housing need in Carlow.
15.
Dr. G. FitzGerald
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
19.
Mrs. Fennell
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
21.
Miss Quill
asked the
Minister for the Environment
the procedures he proposes to adopt to require local authorities throughout the country to make proper and proportionate provision for the accommodation of travelling families.
26.
Mr. Spring
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 122 of the applicants for housing on the Tralee Urban District Council waiting list have incomes of less than £6,000 per annum; and if he will outline the prospects of these people being housed within 12 months.
27.
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will outline the specific and practical proposals he has drafted to give effect to the proposals in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress to involve tenants to become directly involved in the management of local authority housing estates; if the National Association of Tenants Organisations have been consulted formally about the proposals; whether the members of local authorities will be consulted; if such involvement will result in reductions in the increasing costs of local authority housing maintenance and in differential rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
29.
Miss Quill
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he intends to take special measures to tackle the severe housing crisis besetting our cities; and if he will make a statement outlining these measures.
30.
Mr. McCormack
asked the
Minister for the Environment
the total allocation for the local authorities house building programme in 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
33.
Mr. Taylor
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will outline the investigations which have been carried out in his Department and the external reports or assessments which have been examined regarding the social and community implications of the former scheme under which a grant of £5,000 was paid to local authority tenants to vacate their houses; and if he will assess the overall findings on this issue and make a statement giving the benefits and undesirable consequences of such schemes.
35.
Mr. Crowley
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will make a statement on the fact that there is now a housing crisis in Cork where there are 1,500 people on the waiting list; and the steps he proposes to take to resolve the problem.
46.
Mr. Doyle
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
49.
Mr. Currie
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
50.
Mr. Dukes
asked the
Minister for the Environment
the level of local authority house completions which will be required in order to fulfil the commitment given in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress to maintaining the local authority housing programme at a level appropriate to the increasing needs having due regard to resources.
51.
Mr. Rabbitte
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will consider raising the income levels under which people qualify for local authority house purchase loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
52.
Mr. J. Bruton
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982, to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
61.
Mr. J. Bruton
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendation by NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
62.
Mr. Connaughton
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendation by NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
69.
Mrs. Barnes
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
71.
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendation by NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
79.
Mr. Shatter
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
84.
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for the Environment
when he proposes to make the necessary statutory regulations regarding letting requirements as promised in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress; if he will outline the interested organisations with whom he will have discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
86.
Mr. O'Brien
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982, to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
88.
Mr. T. O'Sullivan
asked the
Minister for the Environment
the reason a new survey of housing need is being carried out at present when so little progress has been made in housing those on existing housing lists; the number of applicants housed since the last assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
89.
Mr. Allen
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will outline his proposals to resolve the housing crisis in Cork city where there are 1,500 on the waiting list for Cork Corporation housing from private addresses as well as several hundred others who are awaiting transfers from inadequate corporation housing to more suitable accommodation.
90.
Mr. Kemmy
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will outline the meaning of the system of shared ownership as used by the Government in the section on future housing policy in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress; if local authorities will be consulted or involved; if the Housing Finance Agency have been asked to develop proposals in relation to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
91.
Mr. Dukes
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendations by the NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
93.
Mr. Gilmore
asked the
Minister for the Environment
the measures which are planned to address the serious local authority housing crisis; the number of housing units which these measures will produce; when they will materialise; and the number of persons on low incomes who will be assisted to avail of same.
94.
Mr. Ferris
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will outline the precise policy steps he proposes to recommend to housing authorities and planning authorities, including An Bord Pleanála, to mitigate the extent and effects of social segregation in housing as promised in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
99.
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendation by NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
101.
Mr. McCormack
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendation by NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
102.
Mr. Shatter
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendation by NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
105.
Mr. S. Barrett
asked the
Minister for the Environment
his views on the recent recommendations by the NESC that in relation to housing policy there should be equitable State subsidisation of various housing tenures such as owner-occupancy, private rented and local authority rented; and his views on whether the present pattern of subsidisation is equitable.
109.
Mr. Harte
asked the
Minister for the Environment
the amount of finance allocated by him for the construction of local authority houses in 1991 to (a) Donegal County Council, (b) Letter-kenny UDC and (c) Buncrana UDC.
110.
Mr. G. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
111.
Miss Flaherty
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will use his powers under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 to regulate standards and practices in relation to all private rented dwellings.
115.
Mrs. Fennell
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if his Department have made any projections of the demand for senior citizen accommodation in each local authority area, in each of the next five years; if he will outline the steps he proposes to take to meet this demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
166.
Mr. Ryan
asked the
Minister for the Environment
if he will give details of the 1991 capital allocation for local authority housing for Dublin County Council.
Mr. Flynn:
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 26, 27, 29, 30, 33, 35, 46, 49, 50, 51, 52, 61, 62, 69, 71, 79, 84, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 99, 101, 102——
Mr. Flynn:
——105, 109, 110, 111, 115 and 166 together. I hope someone asks me the reason.
Mr. Gilmore:
There are more questions than houses.
Mr. Howlin:
On a point of order, perhaps when a grouping of this magnitude is envisaged it could be circularised in [1774] advance so that we could read through the questions and see how they are linked. It is impossible for us to even read all those questions when they are read out like this.
An Ceann Comhairle:
Perhaps we should listen to the reply and if the Deputies find it inadequate they have a remedy.
Mr. Howlin:
On a point of order, we will not know whether the questions are answered as we will not have time to identify which questions are being taken.
Mr. Flynn:
The Deputy will when he hears the reply.
Mr. Carey:
No houses for 1991.
Mr. Flynn:
Ten of these questions, although put down by different Deputies, are identical. There is a second group of eight identical questions, again put down by different Deputies. The 20 remaining questions touch on related aspects of policy on social housing or on the housing position and prospects for 1991 in different areas.
A review of policies in the housing area has been in progress for some time, taking account of the NESC report, A Strategy for the Nineties, and other relevant reports and submissions. Arising from the review, I am finalising a document for action on housing matters which will, I hope, be ready for publication next week. This will indicate the Government's proposals in relation to, inter alia, the various matters raised in these questions. It will elaborate on the references to housing included in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress and the measures referred to in the Budget Statement of the Minister for Finance. Copies of the document will be placed in the Oireachtas Library and a copy will be supplied to each Deputy. I do not propose to comment on particular aspects pending completion of the document as a whole and its publication.
The document I have referred to will deal generally with the different elements [1775] of the local authority housing programme. I intend to determine shortly the 1991 capital allocations for the housing construction and refurbishment programmes of the individual local authorities, including the number of new starts to be authorised this year. In making these allocations, I will have regard to the nature and extent of the relative needs of individual housing authorities. I will advise the authorities of their allocations as soon as possible.
Deputies Gilmore and J. Mitchell rose.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I am calling Deputy Eamon Gilmore who has a question tabled on this subject and who is present in the House.
Mr. Gilmore:
In view of the fact that the Minister has been reviewing the policy on social housing for quite some time now, is it not a gross insult to this House that he should come in and announce that he intends to make a substantive announcement on policy in this area one week after he replied to a large number of questions on the same topic? Will the Minister tell the House in detail whether there will be material relief for people who are waiting for houses this year, in other words, will they get houses, the number of houses which will be built in 1991 and whether he intends increasing the paltry allocation made in the 1991 Estimates for social housing in order to relieve the problems of homelessness?
Mr. Flynn:
I have to say to Deputy Gilmore that all that information will be revealed when I make the announcement. The Deputy will have to understand that I indicated on a number of occasions in the recent past that I was going to do this. The information is not ready today; if it was, I would have no hesitation in giving it to the Deputy. It is a question of a week or, at most, ten days before it will be ready. We can then discuss the matter at great length on any suitable occasion the Ceann Comhairle will allow. I do not have all the facts the Deputy requires with me except to say [1776] there will be increases in so far as the housing allocation is concerned and there will be increased numbers to satisfy the Deputy's demands.
Mr. Gilmore:
Is this not a repeat of a previous practice on the part of the Minister of making all his major announcements of policy at press conferences rather than in this House? Secondly, to what extent will the new measures he is talking about eat into the waiting lists for local authority houses on which there are now of the order of 20,000 people? How many of those 20,000 people does the Minister anticipate will be housed in 1991?
Mr. Flynn:
It is my hope that the programme I announce will, as the Deputy said, eat into the waiting lists on which he says there are 20,000 people.
Mr. Flynn:
Without going into the details, I can say there will be a continuation of the local authority housing programme and there will be some other complementary and innovative measures announced which will have a very great impact on the whole question of local authority housing.
Mr. Gilmore:
How many houses are going to be built?
An Ceann Comhairle:
Order, Deputy Jim Mitchell.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
I protest at the Minister grouping so many questions together. Certainly in my time in the House it is without precedent that so many questions should be grouped together, especially in view of the fact that this virtually precludes questions on housing for another six months. In those circumstances, would the Minister agree to refer these questions back to the next period of Environment questions so that they can be retabled, for which procedure there is ample precedent?
[1777]Mr. Flynn:
What alternative had I when I was faced with a whole range of photostat copies of questions, identical quetions and the same wording put down in different Deputies' names? Obviously this is a new tactic simply to monopolise the television time in so far as Question Time is concerned. I would have to say to you, a Cheann Comhairle, that putting down photostat questions and putting different names to them is a waste of time——
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Who did that?
Mr. Flynn:
——and does nothing for the repute of this House.
Mr. Howlin:
I share the frustration of other Deputies in relation to the way this House is being abused by making announcements of major policy outside the House. The Minister knows full well that he is required to answer questions here very rarely, once in a roster of 15 Ministers. If there are any major announcements to be made they should be made in this House and be subject to the scrutiny of the House.
Having regard to the last assessment of housing needs, which was completed only at the end of last year — although the Minister has requested that another one be completed before March — does the Minister know exactly how many houses are needed in the community and the paltry number he has provided since that review was completed? Will he at least indicate the targets he has in relation to each of the categories: old folks' housing, family-type housing and special category housing?
Mr. Flynn:
The Deputy is quite right that I have the results of the survey of waiting lists carried out in September 1989, and it is my opinion that the number might very well have increased since then.
Mr. Howlin:
No houses have been built since then.
Mr. Flynn:
It is for that reason that [1778] I have asked that a further survey be undertaken, and I hope to have the results of that survey in a couple of months. I would like to think that we will be able to make serious inroads into those waiting lists, particularly the acute list, and that these new initiatives that I am taking——
Mr. Howlin:
Has the Minister set targets?
Mr. Flynn:
Yes, I have. That information will be included in the programme which I intend to launch within the next ten days. It will be a very useful document — the Deputies will certainly receive a copy of it — and I hope we will have an early opportunity of discussing it. I will be asking for the support of all sides of the House to make it work. There will be some new thinking in it as well as the traditional ways of dealing with these matters.
Mr. Howlin:
A Cheann Comhairle——
An Ceann Comhairle:
Sorry, I should have called Deputy Máirín Quill earlier. I apologise to the Deputy. She has a question tabled on the subject.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Is it one of the photostat questions?
Mr. Flynn:
They all came from the Deputy's side of the House.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
They did not all come from this side of the House, I beg the Minister's pardon.
Miss Quill:
Would the Minister accept that, in relation to the subject matter of Question No. 21, not all travelling families want to be settled in housing estates? There is in this country at present a large number of travelling families who want to park in an area, usually on the outskirts of a city, for one, two or three months in the winter time and them move on to a fair or some other place. In many [1779] cases these families cause acute problems for the settled community in their areas, with wandering horses, no proper sanitary services and totally in breach of every law in the land. In that event would the Minister accept that local authorities must be required to make available some kind of parking facilities for those families so that they can be brought within the law, can park in properly serviced sites and no longer live side by side with settled communities? That would help to restore the balance of natural justice between the rights of settled communities and the rights of travelling families? That must be done in relation to——
An Ceann Comhairle:
I think the Deputy has made her point——
Miss Quill:
——transient travelling families who are neither ready nor willing to settle in housing estates or on halting sites.
Mr. Flynn:
The Deputy has a very good understanding of the situation in so far as travellers are concerned and I agree wholeheartedly with everything she has said. I would like to see a lot more action by local authorities in this regard. For that reason I am taking a personal interest in the matter and I intend to pursue it vigorously with the local authorities in the very immediate future. I certainly will be taking on board the matters referred to by Deputy Quill, because she has summarised them exactly as they are.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Could I ask the Minister to agree to answer these questions separately on the next day——
An Ceann Comhairle:
The Deputy has already put that question.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Yes, Sir, but it has not——
An Ceann Comhairle:
Please, let us not have repetition.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
On a point of order, [1780] could I ask you, a Cheann Comhairle, to refer this matter of the manner in which the Minister——
An Ceann Comhairle:
It is not——
Mr. J. Mitchell:
I am on a point of order, Sir.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I know that, Deputy, and I am seeking to reply to you. It is not unusual for Ministers to seek to reply to related matters of this kind——
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Several of the questions are not related.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I appreciate there is a good number of questions, but they are very definitely related.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
They are wide-ranging. They are only related in that they are linked in some way to housing. They are very varied. I am asking you, Sir, to refer this matter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges so that these questions will be answered at the next Environment Question Time in a month's time and so that the Minister cannot evade his responsibility to answer questions. This is trickery of the worst order.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I would respectfully suggest to Deputy Mitchell that, if he feels it is necessary, he might avail of the opportunity of having the matter raised at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
I will so do.
An Ceann Comhairle:
The Deputy has ample representation on that committee.
Mr. Howlin:
I support what Deputy Mitchell has said. Basically, to follow the logic of what the Minister has done in this grouping of questions, it is similar to my putting down questions, when I had responsibility for health, on hospitals anywhere in the country and having them answered in a global way. I would put it to the Minister that the announcement [1781] he intends to make next week has more to do with the date of the local elections than the proper assessment of the housing needs of this country, which has been underscored to him for three years in this House with little comment, little action and no houses being provided.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
No houses for the last three years.
Mrs. Owen:
Rehabilitation of the Minister's reputation.
An Ceann Comhairle:
We are straying very much.
Mr. Flynn:
I would like to make a brief response to Deputy Howlin. I hardly think that what he has said is true in that I have signalled for some time that I was considering a new approach to the whole question of social housing and that I was working for some months on a totally new package that would address that matter. That has been signalled by me for the last six to nine months; it was indicated in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress and I have indicated it on a number of other occasions. It has now come to fruition, and I sincerely hope I will have the support of all the Deputies in the House for the programme that I intend to launch in the next week or so. I hope that if any matter is brought to the attention of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, that committee might also reflect upon the fact that it is not proper for ten identical questions to be put on the Order Paper, for whatever reason.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Let that be addressed also.
An Ceann Comhairle:
There are a number of Deputies offering and I want to facilitate you all having regard to the large number of questions involved. Deputy Gerry O'Sullivan has been offering for some time.
Mr. G. O'Sullivan:
Will the Minister accept that the number of questions on the Order Paper is not a planned assault [1782] or attack on the Minister but reflects the concern of public representatives throughout the country and the number of deputations which have asked to meet the Minister to discuss housing?
Mr. Flynn:
I quite readily accept that it is not a planned, personal assault on me as that is not the Deputy's style. I can understand why he is expressing concern about housing as I have the same concern. I am taking the necessary steps to try to deal with the problem and I hope we will have a very good discussion on my new plan for housing when it is launched. Occasionally, Deputies put down questions in relation to meeting deputations but, on occasions, those deputations have not even been sought.
Mrs. Owen:
In the budget speech of the Minister for Finance, he said that full reliance would be placed on voluntary housing agencies to tackle the housing problem. Will the Minister agree that that is a totally inappropriate response to the large numbers on the housing list? For example, in June 1990, 954 families in Dublin county were on the waiting list. In the estimate of the housing requirements document sent to all local authorities, will the Minister give an undertaking that he will review the figures on the basis of the assumption that net emigration would be 35,000 per year but that that figure has started to drop, thereby creating another group who will require housing? I have the assumptions here and he is assuming that half his problems will be solved.
Mr. Flynn:
Full reliance on voluntary housing will not be the response of the Minister to the question of social housing. It was a brief reference by the Minister for Finance——
Mrs. Owen:
There was no reference to building.
Mr. Flynn:
Quite so, but the programme which I will announce will include that.
[1783]Mr. Pattison:
Will the Minister agree that the traditional way of meeting housing needs worked very satisfactorily up to about three or four years ago when his Government almost ceased providing local authority housing? Will he also bear in mind that the last time a Government decided to experiment with the provision of local authority housing — I am talking about the so-called low cost housing scheme — it was a total disaster? Why will the Minister not continue the traditional way of providing houses, which proved satisfactory? The building of these houses is overdue and they are very badly needed.
Mr. Flynn:
I agree that low cost housing has a bad history. Very considerable sums of money must now be spent on a remedial works programme to rectify the mistakes of the past.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
It resulted from Fianna Fáil housing policy.
Mr. Flynn:
I asked the House last year if it would support my view that I should allocate considerable funds from the money available to me to deal with the problem of low cost housing by way of increasing the remedial action programme. I got wholehearted support and I should like to be able to continue the programme. The 1991 allocation of £80 million is a very substantial increase——
Mr. Flynn:
It is 4 per cent on the previous year and double the amount provided for the year before that.
Mrs. Owen:
There were 23 houses built in Dublin county.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
Six houses were built in Dublin city.
Mr. Flynn:
We will be taking the Deputy's remarks on board so far as the new action plan for social housing is concerned.
[1784]An Ceann Comhairle:
Deputy Browne and Deputy Garland are offering.
Mr. Browne:
(Carlow-Kilkenny): In view of the fact that in Carlow we averaged 12 houses over the last three years in comparison with an average of 50,000 for previous years, when the press conference is held shortly can we take it that 50 houses per year will be built in Carlow? If not, there will be a major crisis.
Mr. Flynn:
The allocations will be made from the funds available to me and, as Deputies know, it is a matter for the local authorities which schemes will go ahead and what houses they will build. I have given them that flexibility and it has been agreed by all that it is a useful way to proceed on the question of allocation.
Mr. Garland:
I have been seeking to make a point of order on the disgraceful way in which the Minister has dealt with this question. He used the spurious excuse of nine related Fine Gael questions — which in itself is deplorable and an abuse of the House — and he seeks to compound this by connecting questions which have a tenuous link with one another. This means that there is a ballot of questions, I had two questions tabled but the fact that the Fine Gael Party tabled nine questions is a definite disadvantage to the smaller parties. It is a disgrace.
Mr. Flynn:
I agree with Deputy Garland that it is an abuse——
Mr. Carey:
On a point of order, there is no abuse. The Minister is wrong; every Deputy is entitled to table two questions.
An Ceann Comhairle:
A number of Deputies are still seeking to put legitimate questions. I call Deputy Dukes.
Mr. Carey:
The Minister has abused the House.
Mr. Dukes:
I tabled Question No. 50 which in this whole series of questions [1785] which are not really related, is very simple. It was to ask the Minister what level of local authority house building completions would be required to fulfil the commitment given in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress to maintaining the local authority housing programme at a level appropriate to the increasing needs having due regard to resources. Will the Minister give us a figure — or even a ball park figure — of what that commitment means? What is the level appropriate to the increasing needs? What is the level appropriate to having due regard to resources? Is the Minister's attempt to bury this with everything else an admission on his part that this is one of the worst pieces of political flannel and cotton wool imposed on the Government by a bunch of negotiators who did not have any particular interest in housing?
Mr. Flynn:
I do not know about that. I should imagine that the social partners had a very great interest——
Mr. Flynn:
——so far as social housing is concerned. They were very conscious of the need for me to proceed as quickly as possible.
Mr. Dukes:
How many houses does this mean?
Mr. Flynn:
The question tabled by Deputy Dukes did not refer to that matter: he was talking about recommendations in the NESC report.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
No, the Minister should look as Question No. 50. He is too glib by half.
Mr. Flynn:
When the new plan for social housing is announced it will seek to address that matter.
An Ceann Comhairle:
There are a large number of questions involved but we must have finality in this matter. I was hoping that Deputy Gilmore would be [1786] the last to ask a question. I will hear Deputy Creed, Deputy Ryan and perhaps a final question from Deputy Gilmore.
Mr. Creed:
The Minister continuously refers to the housing programme in the context of the money available to him within the Department. Will he agree that the money available to him reflects his capacity at the Cabinet table to extract the necessary resources to provide the housing by local authorities? If he is unable to secure adequate resources at the Cabinet table, perhaps he should consider his own position.
Mr. Flynn:
I would have thought it was self-evident to Deputy Creed — and everybody else — that the Minister is a very resourceful person.
Mrs. Owen:
The Minister is confirming that there was a row.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I am calling Deputy Ryan.
Mr. Flynn:
The Minister is a very resourceful person.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
When it comes to looking after himself.
An Ceann Comhairle:
Deputy Ryan, I will not call the Deputy a third time. Deputy, you will respond or sit down.
Mr. Flynn:
I want to finish my response. I am resourceful in getting adequate funds needed for the new social housing programme.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I called Deputy Ryan and he should respond.
Mr. Ryan:
The number of questions tabled in relation to housing indicates the extent of the problem. Will the Minister define his interpretation of “social housing”? What type of need does he envisage [1787] having to provide for under the guidelines for social housing?
Mr. Flynn:
I regard social housing as the provision of housing for all those who are unable to provide it from their own resources.
An Ceann Comhairle:
I had hoped to conclude with the Deputy who raised the question earlier. However, I will hear a brief question from Deputy Jim Mitchell.
Mr. J. Mitchell:
May I ask the Minister if, in his review of housing policy and in the proposed document, he will get away from large local authority ghettoes which were a feature of housing policy in the past?
Mr. Flynn:
Yes, and it is about time we did so. I know I am going to have the support of the spokesman of the main Opposition party in that regard.
Mr. Gilmore:
Given that it appears that we have had more questions than answers on this subject, may I in a final attempt to extract some information from the Minister ask him two questions? First, is it the intention to provide Government time to enable this House to debate the action plan on housing and, second, since he did not tell me how many houses he intends building next year, how many houses were completed in 1990?
Mr. Flynn:
The question of making time available in the House is a matter which will have to be discussed by somebody else other than the Minister.
Mr. Gilmore:
Is the Minister looking for time?
Mr. Flynn:
I am sure the Deputy will be quite able to find a vehicle to discuss the plan when it is published and circulated. He will certainly be one of the first to get a copy of it.
[1788]Mr. Gilmore:
How many houses did the Minister build last year?
An Ceann Comhairle:
Let us proceed now to Question No. 9, please.
Mr. Gilmore:
I did not get a reply to my question as to how many house starts there were in 1990.
Mr. Flynn:
I indicated on a previous occasion to the Deputy that it was my intention to have 1,300——
Mr. Gilmore:
How many was started?
Mr. Flynn:
That is a separate question and I do not think I have that information.
Mr. Gilmore:
It is included on the list.
An Ceann Comhairle:
Question No. 9 in the name of Deputy O'Sullivan.
Mr. Gilmore:
We want an answer. How many houses were started?
Mr. Flynn:
If the Deputy puts down a question, I will be happy to answer it.
Mr. Gilmore:
The question has been asked. The Minister is avoiding it.
An Ceann Comhairle:
Question No. 9 has been called.
| Last Updated: 23/05/2011 07:29:30 |
Page of 128
|