asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the long delays experienced by applicants awaiting local authority house loans; and if he will take steps to expedite sanction in such cases.

I am not so aware.

Arising out of that very brief reply I should like to ask the Minister why he is not aware? I filled in an application form for an applicant last August.

We must try to avoid statements.

Six months later the man had not received the loan in question. There have been quite a number of similar cases with long delays. The Minister should look into this matter and give the House some assurance. After all——

Please, Deputy. Let us not go on interminably.

Let us not go on? I asked the Minister if he would look into it because he does not seem to be aware of it. I pointed out a case in which I was personally involved and I know of others.

I heard the Deputy.

There were £46 million worth of applications on hands at the end of December, 1973.

If by mistake Deputy Molloy sent the application to me I can understand why the person he refers to did not get paid. It should have gone to the local authority of course.

I did not say I sent it to the Minister. It went to the local authority. The Minister is too ridiculous.

The making of loans under section 39 of the Housing Act, 1966, is a matter for the local authority——

Arising out of the Minister's reply——

Please allow me to answer the supplementary which was asked by Deputy Molloy. The making of loans under section 39 of the Housing Act, 1966, is a matter for the local authority and not one in which I can intervene. For my part, I have ensured that all local authorities have adequate capital available this year for the purpose of making these loans. Galway County Council got £500,000 and expended only £206,970 up to 31st January, last. The Deputy should take it up with the county council.

Arising out of the Minister's reply——

Please, Deputies. We cannot debate this matter today.

This is Question Time, is it not?

It is Question Time, exactly.

Are you changing the whole procedure in this House?

Question No. 22.

A Cheann Comhairle, I want to submit that that you are acting in a very funny manner.

The Deputy may not make an allegation against the Chair in this fashion.

You are trying to refuse any questions we ask, and you are trying to stop us eliciting information or pointing out serious cases. You are only anxious to have 100 questions answered in an hour.

Only one supplementary has been asked——

That will not do.

Is the Chair to be abused in this House? Is this the new procedure of Fianna Fáil? Is this their fighting spirit?

You are abusing the House.

Fighting with the Chair?

We will fight with anyone to get our rights.

In view of the sums of money which the Minister says are available to the local authorities, and in view of the delays which all public representatives experience in the payment of loans, would the Minister get after the county councils and say: "Use the money you have got from me."

I would suggest that Deputy Cunningham who is an elected county councillor——

The Minister is not interested.

I am not a member of a county council.

The Deputy was elected to this House and if he does not think it worth his while to go to his county secretary and say: "Mr. X. is due some payment; why does he not get it?", he is not doing his job.

I have a supplementary. Is the Minister aware—

Question No. 22.

22.

asked the Minister for Local Government the amount allocated to each local authority for house loans in 1973-74; and the total amount of loans issued in each local authority area up to 31st January, 1974.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.

Separate allocations are not made for house purchase and reconstruction loans. The capital allocation includes in addition provision for supplementary grants.

Following is the statement:

In addition to the amounts issued in loans up to 31st January, 1974, a further sum of over £3 million has been issued for supplementary grant payments.