asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received a report from Donegal County Council setting out a total need of 1,320 houses for approved applicants for rehousing in County Donegal; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that An Foras Forbartha carried out a housing survey in 1980 indicating that 5,350 dwellings in County Donegal are incapable of economic repair; if, in view of the housing needs in Lifford, Castlefin, Stranorlar, Convoy, Donegal town, Moville, Killybegs, Carndonagh, Milford and Ramelton and in the urban districts of Buncrana, Letterkenny and Bundoran, and in view of the housing needs which have reached a crisis proportion, he will make funds available at an early date to tackle the housing needs of County Donegal.
Written Answers. - County Donegal Housing.
The returns furnished by Donegal County Council and Letterkenny Urban District Council indicate housing needs of 1,152 and 121, respectively, as at 31 December 1988. Comparable returns from Bundoran UDC and Buncrana UDC are still awaited. I am aware of the report of An Foras Forbartha in 1980; the figure quoted by the Deputy includes houses possibly capable of economic repair as well as those incapable of economic repair. I would point out that since 1 January 1980 about 10,000 new houses have been completed in County Donegal and 15,600 grants for various categories of house improvement works have been paid by my Department in respect of houses in the county.
With regard to funding by local authorities of their 1989 housing construction programme I would refer the Deputy to the reply to Questions Nos. 18, 21, 32, 110 and 118 of 7 February 1989.