asked the Minister for the Environment the plans he has to introduce further schemes of tenant purchase of houses; and if he has any proposals to include tenant purchase of flats in such schemes.

A circular letter was issued by my Department to housing authorities on 3 January 1978 giving details of a new tenant purchase scheme for local authority houses.

It is open to the authorities to submit proposals to the Department for the sale of flats to their tenants.

I appreciate that reply. In relation to the sale of flats to tenants does the Government have a view? Would the Government be amenable to a request from a local authority for such a facility?

The Government would be amenable with regard to the sale of flats. I understand that this year Dublin Corporation are giving serious consideration to this.

Would the Minister agree that there could be considerable advantages in such a scheme and would he also accept that the tenants should have the same rights as people living in a house? Would the Minister also agree that this would also facilitate a lot of people in owning their own homes and would the Minister cede the possibility of substantial saving in terms of maintenance and so on by his Department in such a scheme? Can we take it therefore that the Minister would approve in principle of the idea?

I would. Under section 90 of the Housing Act, 1966, housing authorities may sell or lease a house or a flat. They are already empowered to do so under section 90.

The Minister would co-operate in that?

Yes.

The Minister mentioned that he had sent a circular letter to the local authorities on 3 January. When does the Minister expect that the tenant purchase scheme will go into operation?

That is a separate question.

February 1 is the date set for it to become operative.