asked the Minister for Local Government if he will indicate present Government policy in regard to home ownership.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Home Ownership.
2.
It is the Government's policy to encourage home ownership on as general a scale as practicable. Effect is given to the policy by schemes of loans and grants, tax and rate concessions, to purchasers of private houses and by the generous terms of sales schemes introduced in July, 1973 for local authority houses.
Has the Minister considered fully the wisdom of this matter of the sale of local authority houses?
Yes, and I consider the decision to be wise.
Is the Minister prepared to concede that such a policy, if pursued to the full, would mean a continuance for ever of the situation of there being too few houses for those who need them?
That will not be the case because it is the policy of the Coalition to build £25,000 houses a year.
There is no point in side-stepping the issue.
This is Question Time, Deputy.
Should the Minister be pursuing this policy at a time when there are too few houses to meet the demands of those who cannot provide homes for themselves?
The housing list is being reduced each month because of the numbers of new houses being built. Deputy Blaney need have no worry because all the people will be housed within the next few years.
(Interruptions.)
Order. Question No. 3.