asked the Minister for the Environment the total allocation to Dublin Corporation for housing in 1978; and the total number and cost of housing tenders for which approval has been given.

6.

asked the Minister for the Environment the number of dwellings his Department anticipates will be built by Dublin Corporation in 1978, and the comparative figures for 1977 and 1976.

: I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.

Dublin Corporation's total authorised provision for expenditure on their local authority housing construction programe in 1978 is £28.5 million. To date this year, eight tenders for housing schemes comprising 607 dwellings and totalling £6.04 million in value have been approved by me, or accepted by the housing authority under devolved procedures. The corporation's allocation will, of course, finance work in progress at 31 December, 1977, as well as new schemes.

I have been informed by the corporation that the estimated number of their new housing completions this year should be of the same order as during the last two years; 1,640 dwellings were completed last year and 1,626 in 1976.

In addition to new dwellings which will become available for letting during the year, the corporation will also have a substantial number of existing dwellings which will become vacant and available for re-letting.

: Would the Minister agree that the capital allocation to Dublin Corporation represents an increase of less than 10 per cent whereas the increase in the building cost index is of the order of 15 per cent? If that is so, would he agree that it means a decline in the number of houses built?

: No, the increase in building costs is not 50 per cent or 30 per cent; it is 11 per cent.

: Is the Minister aware that the Dublin city manager told the housing committee that the increase in costs is 15.1 per cent and this allocation represented an increase of less than 10 per cent?

: The increase in costs were published recently by my Department—the costs as against the increase in the price of houses. They are two different things. The increase in costs was 11 per cent.

: Is the Minister——

: Question No. 7.

: Sorry, this is an important question.

: They are all important questions, and so are those that have yet to be answered.

: I am sure there is plenty of time to get through them.

: There is not; there is only an hour.

: Is the Minister aware that the building cost index went up by 15.1 per cent while this allocation has only gone up by less than 10 per cent?

: That is the same question.

: The Minister does not seem to be aware of the information.

: We cannot have repetition.

: Will the Minister deny that there will be a decline in housing output by Dublin Corporation in the next few years?

: Dublin Corporation are happy. They have indicated to me that they will maintain the same output of houses as in the past two years.

: Would the Minister not agree——

: Question No. 7, in the name of Deputy John O'Connell.

: Would the Minister not agree——

: I will not have any more supplementary questions. I have called Question No. 7. The Deputy may not fly in the face of the Chair.

: May I ask one supplementary question?

: No. I have called Question No. 7.