asked the Minister for Finance if several applications were received from Edward McDermott, an ex-National Army man, and now engine attendant at Malin Head, County Donegal, Wireless Station, for a vacant house in the unoccupied Coastguard Station at Malin Head; if he will state if this man's application will be promptly dealt with in view of the housing shortage in that area.

It was originally intended to offer the whole of this station on lease to the County Council, and for that reason it was not possible to consider applications for individual tenancies of cottages. The Gárda Síochána now, however, require four of the six cottages, and the proposal to offer the whole station to the County Council will be dropped and steps will be taken to let the remaining two cottages on weekly tenancies. The application for a cottage made by Mr. Daniel McDermott, engine attendant at Malin Head Wireless Station, will receive consideration with the other applications.