§ 63. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that the ex-service men tenants on the Killester Estate under the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust are being charged rents of 10s., 9s., and 7s. 6d. for the three types of cottages there in addition to rates at 14s. in the £; and whether, seeing that there are several tenants who are unable to pay these rents, he will look into the charges made for these houses?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Lunn)I have ascertained from the Irish Sailors 996 and Soldiers Land Trust that the rents of the cottages on the Killester Estate are as stated in the question, and that the rates average about 1s. a week for each cottage. I am informed that the rents are much lower than those originally accepted by the tenants when they were first selected in competition with other candidates. The Secretary of State is satisfied that there is no case for asking the Trust to consider the possibility of further reductions in the rent of these cottages.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs it not the case that these rents only cover the cost of maintenance and administration, and does not the hon. Gentleman think, under these circumstances, that they are very high?
§ 64. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, seeing that the rent of the houses provided for ex-service men in Mullingar, under the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust, cover the cost of maintenance and administration only, and are only 4d. per week less than the council houses in that town, he can give the reasons for the fact that the maintenance and administration expenses of the Trust are four times greater than those of the council, which have to meet the loan charges on the council houses, whereas the entire erection of the trust houses was met by a free grant?
§ Mr. LUNNAccording to the information in my possession, the average rent of the houses provided for ex-service men in the Mullingar Rural District by the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust is 4s. 5d. a week, whereas the average rent charged for similar post-war houses by the Mullingar Town Commissioners is 6s. 4d. a week; the difference is thus 1s. 11d. a week, not 4d. as stated. I am not in a position to give any information with regard to the maintenance and administration expenses of the Council or the basis on which the rent of the council houses is arrived at.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYWill not the hon. Gentleman inquire as to the reason why the maintenance and administration costs are so high as compared with the other council houses?
§ Mr. LUNNThe question of maintenance and administration of the council houses is a question for the Irish Free State Government; it is not a question for this Government.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs it not the case with regard to the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Trust?
§ Mr. LUNNI could perhaps ascertain that information regarding the Trust, but I could not give a comparison with the council houses.