asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that it is estimated that there are approximately 50,000 unfit dwellings incapable of economic repair in the country; and that this figure does not include the cities of Dublin and Cork; whether there is available any estimate of such dwellings in Dublin and Cork; and, if so, if he will give the relevant figures.

In the recent White Paper on Housing, it was indicated that a figure of 50,000 unfit dwellings incapable of economic repair might be accepted as a measure of the size of the problem of unfit housing in the country as a whole including the cities of Dublin and Cork. This figure includes an allowance for Dublin and Cork of the order of 20,000 dwellings.