§ Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the urgency of the housing problem in Dublin, and of the fact that further delay in advancing a free grant and the loans already sanctioned by the Local Government Board will engender discontent and disease, he will expedite the issue of the Report and recommend adequate financial assistance?
§ Mr. DUKEAs I have already informed the hon. Member, I have called for reports on this matter, and as soon as they are received I shall consider them with as little delay as possible.
§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that not one person or firm in Dublin has been informed of the amount of compensation to be paid for building, nor has any money been paid to anybody with regard to destroyed buildings; if he will state when traders will receive information as to the amount of money that they are to receive and what is the probable date of payment; if he will say whether any instructions have been issued to the assessors to confine their investigations and reports to the amounts covered by insurance policies; and, if so, is he aware that this would mean substantial injury to numbers of traders, and is, in addition, a breach of the undertaking given by the Home Secretary and the Attorney-General for Ireland to the deputation at which the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin was present?
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§ Mr. DUKEThe delay in payment of theex gratia grant in cases of rebuilding claims, of which comparatively few have so far been reported on by the Committee, is unavoidable, and arises from the fact that the Irish Government is at present considering the precise mode of payment in such cases, the matter being further complicated by reason of questions of title affecting the majority of claims of substantial amount. When a decision has been come to on these points issues will be made in respect of the approved grants without delay. No instructions of the nature indicated in the question have been issued to the Committee.