asked the Minister for the Environment the number of applicants on the housing list in County Kildare; the number of houses at present under construction; and if he will take immediate steps to alleviate the chronic situation which exists in Kildare.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Applicants.
34.
In response to my Department's circular N6/84 dated 14 February 1984 on housing needs, the information supplied by the Kildare local authorities shows that the total numbers of approved applicants on their waiting lists at 31 December 1983 were: Kildare County Council, 617; Athy UDC, 84; Naas UDC, 78.
Progress reports supplied by the local authorities show that the numbers of houses under construction at end of September 1984 were: Kildare County Council, 214; Athy UDC, 27; Naas UDC, 5.
The formulation of a house building programme to cater for the housing needs of their functional area is a matter for each housing authority.
Surely the Minister is conscious of the fact that the present programme is falling behind, that the numbers on the waiting list are growing and the frustration and the despair of those people on those lists are mounting? Does he not appreciate that if he is going to do something during his term of office about the housing programme he needs to change his tune and do something special to provide houses for those in need?
My tune had changed before the Deputy prompted me to do so. I provided £4,610,000 in 1984 for housing in the county council area as against £2,725,000 last year and an almost similar figure the year before. An increase of almost £2 million in 1984 reflects a sense of urgency to have the housing programme improved in the area of County Kildare.
Six hundred are still in the——
——the few other local authority areas in the county.