asked the Minister for the Environment if he will indicate in respect of each local authority (1) the number of people on each housing list; (2) the number of applicants on each housing list; and (3) the number of dwellings it is proposed to construct and complete in the year 1978 in each area.

2.

asked the Minister for the Environment if it is the Government's intention to accelerate the local authority housing drive in Dublin and other urban areas to meet the serious need which exists.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together and to circulate with the Official Report a statement showing the numbers of approved applications for rehousing which local authorities had on hands at 30 September 1977 and the approximate numbers of persons included in these applications at that date.

It is not possible at this stage of the year to give information about the number of dwellings which it is proposed to construct and complete in each area during 1978. The number will depend on the level of the allocations which will be made to local authorities during the year. The capital allocations for local authority housing in 1978 in individual areas cannot be decided until all claims from local authorities for finance in respect of work in progress and new schemes proposed for commencement have been submitted to and examined by my Department.

It will however be the Government's aim to maintain activity on the local authority housing programme at a high level in 1978 so that priority can be given to meeting the most urgent housing needs, including those of the Dublin area, and to ensure that a high level of employment continues on the programme.

Following is the statement:—

Approved applications for local authority housing on hands at 30 September 1977.

NOTES: 1. The figures in the table relate to approved applications on hands of local housing authorities.

2. The required information is not available in the Department in respect of the housing authorities marked with an asterisk (*).

3. The figures for Dublin Corporation and Birr Urban District Council relate to the position at the 31 October 1977 and 31 December, 1977, respectively.

4. The figures in column (5) of the table are approximate since they have been extrapolated from the available data in the Department which does not give separate details of the small number of families comprising eight or more persons on approved lists.

Did the Minister say that in the tabular statement he will provide information in relation to the number of applicants on each housing list?

Yes, in the tabular statement there are figures of the number of approved applications and the approximate number of persons included in approved applications.

Is it not possible for the Minister to state the number of local authority dwellings it is proposed to construct? I understand from his reply that he is not in a position yet to give the information because of the finalisation of the capitation figures in regard to each local authority.

We have nearly completed that side of it and in the near future I will be in a position to give the required information.

Will it be in order for me to put a question to extract that information when it becomes available —that I will not be subject to the six month rule?

It will be in order.

The Chair will decide whether it will be in order.

Is it not the case that the commitment to accelerate the housing drive is in total conflict with the Government's policy in the White Paper? I refer to the statement on page 42 to the effect that the rate of increase in output in 1979 would be less than that for 1977. Does the White Paper not commit the Government to this, and I quote, "The level of activity in the local authority housing programme and/or the extent of Exchequer subsidies will have to be subjected to continuous critical review"? Does that not clearly imply a depression in that development rather than what the Minister has just said?

This is my first year in the Department. I would expect the Department always to have this under critical review.

Why refer to it now unless——

This is argument and we have no time for argument.

I am trying to elicit whether the Minister's statement is consistent with the policy in the White Paper. It seems to be in total conflict. He said housing output——

The answer I gave is that it will be the Government's aim to maintain activity in the local authority housing programme at a high level in 1978 so that priority can be given to meeting the most urgent housing needs, including those in the Dublin area, and to ensure that a high level of employment will be attained in the programme.

Therefore, the White Paper is in conflict with the Minister.

Put down a question about the White Paper.

3.