asked the Minister for the Environment if he will indicate the total moneys spent by the State as a subsidy for local authority housing; the average weekly subsidy to such houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I refer the Deputy to my reply to his Question No. 33 of 27 February 1986 on the matter. To date in 1986 housing subsidy payments totalling £92.08 million have been made to local authorities.

57.

asked the Minister for the Environment whether as part of the proposed arrangements for division of rents of local authority houses, he will agree to the sale of such houses, the rent of which has been paid by the same family for a minimum of, say, 40 years; whether this is less costly to the taxpayer rather than their refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Tenants of local authority houses, other than houses specifically provided for elderly persons, have the option to purchase their houses under the terms of the new scheme which I notified to local authorities last July. There is a statutory obligation on local authorities to ensure that houses sold by them to tenants are in good structural condition.