Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 3

Written Answers - Local Authority Housing.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

30 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the existence of a housing crisis; the total number of persons on the local authority waiting list; if he can quantify the total number of persons in receipt of supplementary rent allowance from the various health boards who could be deemed to be in need of rehousing; the total number of housing units now required to meet the needs of these two groups; the plans, if any, he has to address the situation within the shortest possible time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5968/98]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 54, 218 and 219 of 3 February in relation to the number of persons seeking local authority housing and to the payment of rent supplementation under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in respect of private rented accommodation.

I do not accept that there is a housing crisis. The Government is committed to continuing the social housing programme at a high level as evidenced by the increased provision made for the local authority housing programme in the 1998 public capital programme and by the improvements to the complementary social housing measures announced by me last November.