asked the Minister for the Environment (a) if additional sums have been allocated by the Government to build local authority houses since 5th July 1977; and (b) the amounts allocated.

The overall public capital programme allocation of £74.1 million for local authority housing and low-rise mortgages in 1977 has not been increased. However, following a detailed mid-year review of expenditure on the programme, additional area allocations were made to a number of local authorities from the balance then remaining unallocated and from savings anticipated in some areas as a result of wet weather in the first three months of 1977. These additional allocations are set out in a tabular statement which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Additional allocations notified to housing authorities since 5th July, 1977.

Would the Minister be confident that the house-building programme of previous years and particularly the number of houses built, would be sustained or increased in view of the fact that there does not seem to be any substantial or significant increase in the amount of money being allocated? Is he happy that the number of new houses will be maintained?

On the matter of the total housing programme I have no doubt that the stimulus which we have injected into private house building by the £1,000 grant and the improvement in SDA loan facilities on both the income basis and the total amount basis, will result in an increase overall in housing in the coming year. All the indications are to that effect.

Would the Minister be satisfied with regard to local authority housing?

Yes.