S.I. No. 5/1936 - Housing (Inspection of Districts) Regulations, 1936.

STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1936. No. 5.

HOUSING (INSPECTION OF DISTRICTS) REGULATIONS, 1936.

DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH.

THE HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES ACTS, 1890 TO 1931.

The Minister for Local Government and Public Health in exercise of the powers vested in him by section 45 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1931 , does hereby make the following regulations for the purposes of section 29 of the said Act, that is to say:—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Housing (Inspection of Districts) Regulations, 1936.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1923 , shall apply to the interpretation of these Regulations in like manner as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of the Oireachtas.

3. In these Regulations—

(1) the expression "the Act" means the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1931 ;

(2) the expression "local authority" means the local authority for the purposes of Part II of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, as amended by subsequent enactments; and

(3) the expression "medical superintendent officer of health" means—

(a) in relation to a county borough, the medical superintendent officer of health of the borough;

(b) in relation to a county health district, an urban county district, or town having town commissioners under the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act, 1854, the county medical officer of health for the county in which such county health district, urban county district, or town is situate.

4. Every local authority shall for the purposes of section 29 of the Act consider and determine the procedure to be adopted by them under these Regulations for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of that section in regard to the inspection of their district from time to time and shall as part of such procedure make provision for securing that a thorough inspection of their district shall be carried out from time to time as the varying circumstances of their district shall require.

5.— (1) The local authority shall from time to time cause to be prepared by the medical superintendent officer of health a list or lists of the dwelling houses in their district the early inspection of which is in his opinion desirable and the medical officer of health of each dispensary district in the district of the local authority shall furnish the medical superintendent officer of health with such information as he may require for the purpose of the preparation of such lists.

(2) Any such list as aforesaid may specify any of the houses to which it relates by referring to them as houses comprised in a defined area.

6. The inspection of a house under and for the purposes of section 29 of the Act shall be carried out by the medical officer of health of the dispensary district in which the house is situate acting under the direction and supervision of the medical superintendent officer of health, and such medical officer of health of a dispensary district shall examine such house in relation to the following matters and furnish a report thereon to the medical superintendent officer of health:—

(1) The arrangements for the supply of water and the prevention of the contamination of the water supply.

(2) Closet accommodation.

(3) Drainage.

(4) The condition of the house in regard to light, the free circulation of air, dampness, and cleanliness.

(5) The paving, drainage, and sanitary condition of any yard or outhouses belonging to or occupied with the house.

(6) The arrangements for the deposit of refuse and ashes.

(7) The existence of any room which would by virtue of sub-section (1) of section 24 of the Act be deemed to be a house unfit for human habitation.

(8) Any defects in other matters which may tend to render the house dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitant.

7. Records of the inspection of houses under and for the purposes of section 29 of the Act shall be prepared and kept by the secretary or clerk of the local authority or other officer designated for the purpose by the local authority under the direction and supervision of the medical superintendent officer of health, in the form of a book or on separate sheets or cards and such records shall contain, under appropriate headings, information as to the following matters, that is to say:—

1. The situation of the house and its name or number.

2. The date when the house was inspected.

3. The date of the last previous inspection of the house and a reference to the record thereof.

4. The state of the house in regard to the matters specified in article 6 of these Regulations.

5. Any action taken by the medical officer of health or other officer of the local authority, either independently or on the directions of the local authority.

6. The result of any action so taken.

7. Any further action which should be taken in respect of the house.

8.—(1) The local authority shall from time to time, as occasion may require, take into consideration the records prepared under these Regulations and shall give all directions and take all such action within their powers as may be necessary or desirable in regard to any house to which such records relate.

(2) A note of any such directions given by the local authority and of any such action taken by them shall be added to the records.

9. A local authority which has not heretofore caused to be carried out an inspection of their district under and for the purposes of section 29 of the Act shall upon being thereunto required by the Minister for Local Government and Public Health cause such an inspection to be carried out and completed in accordance with these Regulations within three months after being so required as aforesaid.

Given under the Official Seal of the Minister for

Local Government and Public Health, this

Eleventh day of January, One Thousand Nine

Hundred and Thirty-six.

(Sighnithe) SEÁN T. O'CEALLAIGH,

Minister for Local Government and Public Health.