Vol. 423 No. 8
9 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment the number of co-operative housing schemes which he has approved this year; the number of houses which will be provided under these schemes; and the total cost of these schemes.
There is no procedure for the approval of co-operative housing schemes per se but some of the housing projects undertaken under the voluntary housing capital assistance or rental subsidy schemes involve co-operatives. So far this year, 56 capital assistance scheme projects, containing 685 dwellings, have been approved. The total value of grants under the scheme allocated to date in 1992 is £14 million, some of which relates to projects approved in 1991. Under the rental subsidy scheme, three projects, with 76 housing units costing £2,65 million, have been approved in the current year.
A brief question from Deputy Dukes.
May I ask the Minister of State if it is true that a unit cost limit of £35,000 has been set on schemes which are being carried out co-operatively? May I also ask him if he has given the local authorities any guide as to how to treat the costing of services or land which they make available to these schemes which clearly have an important bearing on the cost? Will he indicate if any difficulties have been encountered within his Department in clearing payments on these schemes?
In some cases where people avail of sites under these schemes, local authority land is available for £100. As the Deputy said, there is a limit of £35,000 in relation to the cost of the house and if there is any variation this matter will be looked into by the local authority to see if it has to be raised somewhat.
We must now proceed to other questions to the same Minister.
During the course of a reply on an earlier question the Minister of State indicated that he was prepared to make information available in relation to a suggestion that 6,000 units plus will be available this year. May I ask the Minister of State if he will circulate that information to Deputies?
I will do that.
Question No. 11, please.
Before you move on, a Cheann Comhairle, may I ask that Priority Question No. 10 be deferred until the next occasion?
I should say, Deputy, that there is an obvious typographical error; that question was in your own good name instead of the Deputy referred to on the Order Paper.
