asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make extra money available to Donegal County Council for the development of private sites in areas in County Donegal, particularly in seaside areas, in view of the fact that local people cannot compete with visitors in respect of the price of sites and are therefore at the considerable disadvantage of being unable to build their own homes with the assistance of county council loans.
Written Answers. - Development of Private Sites.
313.
It is a matter for each local authority to plan and initiate housing schemes, including private site developments, having regard to the relative urgency of need in the various locations within its functional area and the capital resources available.
Local authorities are encouraged to provide developed private sites which qualify for subsidy and which are primarily intended for tenants of local authority houses, applicants on approved housing lists, co-operative societies etc., who are given every incentive to acquire these sites. While, I understand that the provision of such sites forms an integral part of Donegal County Council's housing programme, they have no current proposals to provide these developments in seaside districts as the high cost of land is proving prohibitive at present. In recent years, two schemes of private site development at Stranorlar and Ballyshannon comprising 49 and 68 sites respectively have been completed while schemes of about 140 additional sites at Donegal Town, Lifford, Raphoe and Killybegs are at present at planning stage.