Vol. 482 No. 8
179 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether the Government will make a special allocation to Kilkenny Corporation and Kilkenny County Council to enable both local authorities to embark on a social housing programme in order to deplete the growing list of house applicants; or the other plans, if any, he has in this regard. [19270/97]
The number of housing "starts", that is, the number of houses local authorities are authorised to commence or purchase and the capital available for the local authority housing programme in 1997 have been fully allocated and there are no additional "starts" or funds available to supplement the allocation to individual authorities. Allocations for 1998, which will take account of housing needs in the different areas, will be notified to local authorities as soon as possible.
The traditional means of meeting social housing needs through the provision of local authority housing has, in recent years, been supplemented by a range of other social housing measures. It is a matter for local authorities to respond to housing needs in their areas by developing the full potential of the various measures available to them.
