asked the Minister for Local Government if he will expedite the payment of EEC housing loans long overdue to employees of Irish Steel Holdings Ltd., Cobh, County Cork.

The National Building Agency, who are administering this scheme, received 58 applications from employees of Irish Steel Holdings Ltd. for new house loans. Loans have been paid in 42 cases, 11 applicants have still to submit evidence of title and five houses have not yet been completed.

Is the Minister aware that due to the inordinate and inexcusable delay on the part of the National Building Agency the payment of many of these loans has been held up for more than two years with the result that many of the unfortunate applicants had to pay as much as £1,000 interest on bridging loans?

I am not aware of that. In fact, I am aware that certain documentation, requisitioned by the agency's solicitor, was not supplied until 25th February, 1976, and, accordingly, the mortgage could not be completed until the title was in order. There is not much point in trying to blame somebody else for something the applicants were responsible for.

If I can satisfy the Minister that due to the delay of the National Agency people had to pay as much as £1,000 interest on bridging loans is he prepared to compensate them?

We can prove that to the Minister.

The Deputy has already put that point.

There is no way that can be done.

I am issuing a challenge to the Minister.

This is not an occasion for challenging.

The Deputy might as well ask me to pay his debts, or the debts of somebody else if he can prove something is wrong.

It was since I put down this question that most of the loans were paid.

I should like to ask the Minister if there is more money available under this fund and if further applications have been received for more housing accommodation by steel workers or coal workers throughout the country? I ask the Minister to ensure that in future applications the long drawn out saga that existed in Cobh will never be repeated. I am sure the Minister must be aware of the costs borne by the applicants who had to wait so long because of the mishandling of the fund from the EEC.

There is more money available but I want to assure the House that if Deputies wish to give written information about the allegations made I will be glad to receive it. The information I have is that this is held up in the main because documentation required before the loans could be paid could not be produced by the solicitors acting for the applicants.

We must move on to the next question.

The Minister did not answer my question.

I have called the next question. The Chair must be obeyed.

I do not know what the amount is.

The next question.

A lot of people in Cobh have been suffering for more than two years as a result of this.

The Chair will not be obstructed in this fashion.

The Chair will do what he likes, anyway.

We have only dealt with three questions in half an hour and the Deputy has the audacity to challenge the Chair. I am calling Question No. 4.

Will the Minister ensure that he is not going to be hijacked by the Minister for Finance?