asked the Minister for Local Government the cost to the State of providing loans to farmers for house-building purposes, repayment to be made with land annuities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Loans for Farmers.
47.
Loans are available from the Land Commission repayable with land annuities to supplement grants payable under the Housing Acts to farmers erecting new houses. At present, the maximum loan is £200. If the Deputy's question relates to the possibility of extending such a scheme to farmers generally, I am not in a position to calculate the demand for or the total annual cost of such loans.
Is the Minister aware that the Leader of the Opposition is going to give all these loans? He is, of course, on the other side of the House now. Is the Minister further aware that when the Leader of the Opposition was on this side of the House farmers were unable to get any loans for anything?
Surely all this is irrelevant?
They did not need loans then, but they are "broke" now and they want loans.
I bet that if the Government are not kicked out by September they will themselves bring in that scheme.
And we will provide the money.
If the Government are not out by September, as I think they will be, because they sound very shaken, they will certainly bring in the scheme. If they were not so shaken, they would not now be invoking the Balbriggan widow.
On this side of the House of course, Minister——
Whom is the Deputy addressing? Is he addressing the Chair or the Minister for Local Government?
(Interruptions.)
Order. Question No. 48 by Deputy McLaughlin to the Minister for Local Government.