asked the Minister for the Environment the number of local authority houses built between 1981 and 1984 and estimated completions in 1985.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Housing.
14.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together.
A reliable estimate of private house completions in 1985 is not possible at this stage. The number of local authority houses completed in 1985 is likely to exceed the target of 6,000 houses annually set in Building on Reality. The Government's target of housing 9,000 households on waiting lists is also likely to be well exceeded.
Details of private house completions for the years 1981 to 1984 are as follows: 1981, 23,190; 1982, 21,087; 1983, 19,245; 1984, 17,942.
Details of local authority house completions in the same years are as follows: 1981, 5,681; 1982, 5,686; 1983, 6,190; 1984, 7,002.
It is clear that there is a very dramatic drop in the construction of houses, particularly in the area of private housing. The Minister has not satisfied the House, as he said he would do when dealing with the previous question, as to the basis for his optimistic assertions regarding a boost in demand for and construction of private housing. It is clear that since his Government came into office the private house building industry has collapsed. It is very disappointing to hear the Minister say now that in the area of local authority housing the Government's target is to reduce the number by 1,000 completions on the number completed last year.——
A question, please.
Am I to take that the Government's policy is to reduce the number of local authority houses this year by 1,000 on the number completed last year? It is obvious, from the introduction of additional VAT and the position in the market-place, that the construction of private housing will also drop. Is it not true that the level of housing on target for completion in 1985 now looks set to fall back to the figure achieved in 1973, of about 24,000 houses from a high of 29,000 houses——
The Deputy always seems to make the most pessimistic argument. I did not hear any compliment about the 7,000 houses completed by local authorities last year, but of course I did not expect it.
There was a drop in the number of completions last year.
The Government's target of housing 9,000 people on waiting lists will be well exceeded this year and the Deputy knows that a number of incentives were brought in to achieve that total. I am also sure that he agreed with many of the things we did. A number of factors combined to make a reliable forecast of private housing completions in 1985 impracticable but some figures are available now. I am glad to say that the total completions of local authority and private houses were 10,887 in the January to May period of this year, an increase of 191 houses or 1.8 per cent on the period for 1984. I am sure that the Deputy will welcome that increase despite the very bad winter.
The Minister has not informed me what the Government's estimate for house completions are in 1985. It is important, in view of the fact that they are providing a very high percentage of the funding for housing construction, that we should know what the Government's estimates are.
I indicated to the Deputy that our target for 6,000 houses will be well exceeded at local authority level.
That is a drop of 1,000 on last year.
They will be well ahead of target in respect of the past four years with the exception of last year, which was a record year. There will be a very high target and all the indications are that private housing is picking up. For the first five months of this year, there has been an increase in the number of houses completed and I hope that trend continues. It is not possible to have details available regarding private housing.
Could the Minister give some more information in regard to the whole area of housing? I understand that the housing completion figures are based on ESB connections and that is the final act before people move into a house. In most cases those houses would have been commenced in 1984 and completed in 1985. The number of people employed in the building industry is dropping dramatically and surely the Minister agrees that if there are fewer people involved in building houses there must be a drop in the number of houses completed? The Government do not seem to be showing any great concern in this area.
The Deputy does not seem to have heard what I said. I indicated that there was an increase of 191 houses built in the period from January to May this year against last year——
That refers to ESB connections.
If the Deputy will not accept the figures, I cannot do anything about it.