asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development if the forecast figures for housing in the White Paper indicate a reduction in the volume of construction of local authority housing.

The White Paper stated that housing output will be maintained at between 21,000 and 27,000 dwellings a year each year up to 1980. Of itself, this does not imply any reduction in the volume of construction of local authority housing. Indeed, at 31 December last, there was an increase of more than 8 per cent in the number of local authority dwellings under construction compared with 31 December 1976. However, the White Paper pointed out that there had been a lessening in the degree of relative urgency of the housing demands made on local authorities, that the cost of providing local authority houses had risen sharply in recent years and that the continuing and accruing subsidy for rented local authority dwellings is placing a very heavy burden on the Exchequer. In the face of these developments, the White Paper indicated that the local authority housing programme will be subjected to critical review and the maximum amount of help and encouragement will be given to families who are applicants for local authority housing to purchase their own new privately-owned houses wherever possible with the aid of the generous incentives for private housing recently provided by the Government. In consequence, the White Paper expected that there will be a further reduction in the numbers of applications for local authority dwellings and in the urgency with which they have to be met.

On a point of order I think that, with respect to the Chair, on a matter relating to the national wage agreement on which there is widespread discussion, a longer discussion should have been permitted. The national wage agreement is as important as the annual budget. The Minister had just clarified that the wage increases under the agreement were nearer 14 per cent and there followed the consequential question of what change had occurred in Government policy.

All the questions on the Order Paper are important and it is not for the Chair to decide that because one question might be more important than another, he should exceed what he considers to be reasonable. I had allowed six supplementary questions. By any standard in the past history of the House that is good.

A Ceann Comhairle——

We cannot have a debate on the matter. I am calling the next question.

On a point of order, I had three questions down.

I rose to make a point of order but I wish also to ask a supplementary on my question.

If the Deputies would cease interrupting, their questions would be answered.

My questions were not put to the Minister for Economic Planning and Development but were transferred.

The Deputy may not make a speech.

I have been allowed only one supplementary on three questions but I wish to ask a question on the national wage agreement.

The Deputy asked three supplementaries.

I beg to differ. I had to repeat the first one.

The Chair has decided that no further supplementaries will be allowed on the question. The next question has been called.

With respect, the Chair is attempting to have the questions dealt with as if they related to telephone kiosks. Without intending to be personal, the Minister for Economic Planning and Development is the cornerstone of the Government's economic strategy and, consequently, the House is entitled to question him.

I am calling Question No. 12.

Surely I am entitled to ask a supplementary on Question No. 11.

Yes.

It would seem that there is cause for some concern that underlying Government thinking is the belief that the need for the provision of local authority houses is likely to decline in the next few years. Is the Minister aware that there are many people who cannot provide for their own housing and that there will continue in Dublin city the need to provide local authority housing on the same level as that of the past four years.

Nothing in my reply would suggest for a moment that there might be any diminution in regard to local authority housing in Dublin but there are parts of the country where there will almost certainly be a slackening off in the effort. Part of our policy is to encourage home ownership to the maximum extent. For that reason we want to encourage the maximum number of people, including many who otherwise might apply for local authority housing, to provide homes for themselves.

What is wrong with the tenant-purchase schemes?

In the years ahead we will give every encouragement to those people who wish to buy their own homes.