asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the severely restricted capital budget for housing in 1988, he will give greater flexibility to local authorities to purchase good value second-hand housing for reletting, for example in Dublin's inner suburbs, where in addition to housing more families for the same cash allocation, those families can be offered a greater choice.

Housing authorities may submit proposals for the purchase of new or second-hand private houses where such proposals offer value for money, where established housing needs exist and, where it is not possible for the housing authority to provide suitable accommodation more economically within a reasonable period of time.

The initiation of proposals for the purchase of private houses is a matter for the individual housing authorities in the first instance. Any such proposals submitted to my Department are considered on their merits, having regard to the capital available for the housing construction programme and the housing needs of local authorities generally.

Each housing authority has been asked to submit its capital claim for its local authority housing construction programme in 1988. Pending receipt and examination of these claims, it is not possible to indicate what funds will be made available to the individual authorities to finance their housing programmes and consequently what new proposals may be approved.

While I welcome the degree of flexibility which the Minister is now offering, may I ask if he would confirm whether all the housing authorities have, in fact, submitted their applications for the programme for 1988? Could the Minister indicate when he will be in a position to announce the housing programme for 1988? He must be aware that many schemes have now been held up for six to eight months and the local authorities are waiting for the go ahead.

Yes they are, but they have not all made their submissions. I wish they would so that we could get on with the business. I do not have a list of the counties which have not yet made their submissions and therefore nobody should ask me to name them.