asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state, in relation to the waiting list for houses in each local authority, the number of applicants that are (a) single persons, (b) married couples without dependants, (c) single persons with child dependants, (d) married couples with one child, (e) married couples with two children, (f) married couples with three children, and (g) married couples with more than three children.

Information is not available to me in the form requested by the Deputy. I propose, however, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report a statement showing the information supplied by housing authorities of sizes of families comprised in the approved applications for rehousing on hands of these authorities at 30 September 1977.

Following is the statement:—

NOTES:

1. Returns showing the required information have not been furnished to my Department by the housing authorities marked with an asterisk (*).

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

Can the Minister say whether these figures give any ground for the complacency in regard to the housing list as evidenced in the White Paper on Economic Development?

All the categories in respect of which information was sought by the Deputy are included in the list.

Can the Minister assure, for example, families with more than one child—these are stated in the White Paper to account for about 70 per cent of the total list—that they need have no fear as a result of the complacency indicated in the White Paper?

I do not agree that there is complacency in the White Paper in this regard. However, the families the Deputy has in mind should have no need for fear in so far as the allocation of houses is concerned.