(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment the time which elapses between an application to his Department for a certificate of reasonable value in respect of grant-aided houses and the issue of the certificate; and if he will take steps to cut out all unnecessary delays.

In the months of January, February and March 1978, the average time between the receipt in my Department of properly documented applications for certificates of reasonable value and the issue of decisions was 21, 17 and 21 days respectively. I am satisfied that, in general, there are no undue delays in dealing with applications.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister has taken the last quarter, but is it not a fact that in the previous quarter the delays were much longer? Does the Minister also agree that there are delays and that there have been complaints from all over the country about present delays?

I have no evidence of complaints about delays. I have given the Deputy the latest figure for the first quarter of this year.

(Cavan-Monaghan): If the Minister has the material in his brief, perhaps he would tell us what the delay was in the previous quarter?

I do not have any material in relation to the previous quarter.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would I be right in thinking that the delay was much longer?

I do not know.