asked the Minister for the Environment the number of local authority houses under the headings: (i) group numbers, and (ii) isolated cottages each local authority propose to erect and complete in 1980; the numbers already commenced prior to the 1 January 1980 and the numbers commenced or proposed for commencement after that date.

Information as to the numbers of dwellings to be completed in 1980 by individual local authorities is not available in my Department. I expect, however, that completions by all authorities will total about 6,000 dwellings in 1980. Data available in relation to numbers of dwellings in progress and numbers commenced is set out in the tabular statement below, which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Notes:

1. The above figures do not include demountable dwellings.

2. The 31 March 1980 is the latest date for which data on the number of dwellings commenced in 1980 is available in comprehensive form from local authorities.

47.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that most local authority councillors throughout the country who are electorally responsible for the local authorities programme at local level do not receive, as a matter of course, his Department's quarterly bulletin on housing statistics and if he will arrange to have all local authority councillors placed on the mailing list to ensure that they receive a copy of the bulletin.

A copy of the bulletin is sent to each county and city manager. Where local election representatives so request, it is open to the local authority to purchase copies from the Government Publications Sale Office. It is not considered that the Department should produce and distribute to individual members of local authorities about 1,350 extra copies of the bulletin every quarter.

I might add that any Member of the Oireachtas can be put on the mailing list, on request.

Would the Minister accept that it is members of those authorities who are most directly affected? Will he indicate to the House what the cost would be of circulating four times a year a duplicated document to an extra 1,300 people?

I have not got the costing but I can assure the Deputy, having been a member of a local authority for many years up to last December, any time I requested from my county council a copy of this bulletin there was no problem. They issued it.

The Minister's reminiscences of local authorities are of interest, no doubt, to the House but I asked him a specific question. The Department have seen fit to refuse the request. Was the refusal to do so based on cost? If it was can the Minister tell us what the cost factor is?

I have not the cost factor but we had no complaints.

With all due respect to the Minister, he has refused to do it and it seems to be based on cost.

It is not based on cost.

What is the reason then?

Any member of a county council who asks a secretary or manager for that is facilitated.