asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the serious structural defects in the NBA, 32-house scheme at Castlequarter, Killenaule, Thurles, County Tipperary and the inability of the local authority to carry out all necessary repairs; and if in the special circumstances he will provide special financial assistance to the local authority to enable the houses to be made habitable.

I am aware that there are difficulties in relation to the state of repair of these houses. I am awaiting proposals from Tipperary (SR) County Council for dealing with the matter in accordance with the scheme for the financing of improvements to rented local authority houses included in the Housing Package, 1981, which I introduced in May 1981. Grants may also be available for some of the works involved under the recently expanded house improvement grants scheme.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.