Vol. 558 No. 2
231 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has received an application for funding, under both the capital assistance scheme and the capital loan and subsidy scheme, from Cork City Council for the redevelopment of Blackpool Flats Complex, Blackpool, Cork, by the Respond Housing Association; and when a decision will be made on the matter. [23959/02]
Applications for loans under both the capital assistance and capital loan and subsidy schemes for this project in Blackpool, Cork were received by my Department from Cork City Council on 8 November. Both applications are being examined in my Department at present and decisions will be made as soon as possible.
232 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the local authorities which administer the shared ownership scheme; the local authorities which have never administered the scheme at all; the local authorities which have ceased operating this scheme; the number of loans granted in each local authority area under this scheme; the average loan granted in each local authority; the local authorities which have sought extra allocations for this scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact the Drogheda Corporation has ceased to operate this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23962/02]
All major housing authorities, that is county and city councils, Drogheda, Sligo and Wexford Borough Councils and Athlone and Dundalk Town Councils, operate the shared ownership scheme. Information on activity under the scheme is available in my Department's housing statistics bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Detailed information on the day-to-day operation in individual local authorities is not available in my Department.
When local authorities were notified of their 2002 allocations under the scheme they were advised that expenditure should not exceed the allocation without my Department's prior approval. So far this year the following local authorities have sought an increase and have been granted approval to exceed their allocation: Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Offaly, Sligo, North and South Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow County Councils, Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick City Councils and Wexford Borough Council.
Drogheda Borough Council recently suspended the operation of the scheme for administrative reasons, including the effect the unprecedented demand for housing loans generally was having on their staffing and financial resources. The council is due to review the matter early next year.
