Vol. 483 No. 3
54 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses which were started and completed in 1996 and 1997; the targets, if any, which have been set for 1998 in this regard; the number of applicants on local authority housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20220/97]
In 1996, local authorities started 3,728 houses and completed 3,573 houses, including, in both figures, houses purchased by authorities. Final outturn figures for 1997 will be published in the 1997 Housing Statistics Bulletin due to be published in March 1998; it is expected that "starts" and completions in 1997 will both be about 3,500, again including houses purchased by local authorities.
The 1996 assessment of housing needs disclosed that the number of households assessed as in need of local authority housing at 29 March 1996 was 27,427. Additional details of the assessment are given in my Department's housing statistics bulletin for 1996 which is available in the Oireachtas Library.
The provision in my Department's Estimates for the local authority housing programme will allow for 3,900 new houses to be started or purchased in 1998. It is expected that about 3,700 houses will be completed or purchased in 1998.
