asked the Minister for Local Government the percentage of the gross national product devoted to housing for the last year for which figures are available; and if he can indicate how this compares with the figure for Great Britain.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Finance.
20.
The proportion of gross national product devoted to capital formation in dwellings in 1966, the latest year for which definite figures are available, is estimated by the Central Statistics Office at 3.6 per cent. Figures published in the Annual Bulletin of Housing and Building Statistics for Europe, issued by the Economic Commission for Europe indicate that the corresponding proportion in 1966 for Great Britain and the Six Counties was 3.5 per cent.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order, before this turns into a bear garden, surely the Minister for Local Government cannot continue to answer questions while a Deputy is asking supplementary questions on a question already asked?
The trouble is that so far as the Chair can see, Deputies are not listening to the answers and the Chair can do nothing about that.
Deputy O'Connell made two attempts to ask supplementary questions and both the Minister and the Chair seemed to ignore him. That is not fair.
The Chair is not ignoring Deputies. If the Deputies would listen to the questions, this would not arise. They seem to want it both ways: they want to have disorder and they want to ask supplementaries.
I think Deputy Tully's remarks are a reflection on the Chair.
Whether that is so or not, the Deputy can do what he likes about it.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 21.
Could I ask a supplementary question on No. 19?
No, we have passed from No. 19.