asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state (a) the number of sites at present acquired by (1) Drogheda Corporation; (2) Dundalk Urban District Council; (3) Louth County Council, for the building of houses or cottages; (b) the number of houses proposed to be erected on these sites; (c) the number of applicants eligible for houses in the three areas, and (d) the approximate number of houses in each case which will be ready for tenancy by the 31st July, 31st October, and 31st December, this year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Building of Houses in County Louth.
(a) (1) one site; (2) two sites; (3) 16 sites.
(b) One hundred and seventy on the Drogheda site, 122 and 20, respectively, on the two Dundalk sites and 16 labourers' cottages on the sites in the rural area of County Louth.
(c) The housing needs are estimated by the local authorities as follows:— Drogheda, 649; Dundalk, 745; County Louth rural area, 372. The number of applicants eligible in the rural area is 302. I have not exact particulars of the number of applicants in Drogheda and Dundalk, but I assume the estimates indicate the number that would apply if houses were available.
(d) It is estimated that 22 of the 44 houses at present under construction by Drogheda Corporation will be completed by the end of November, 1948, and that the scheme of 79 houses in progress in Dundalk will be completed at the end of this month. Eight cottages in progress by Louth County Council are practically completed. I cannot state the number of houses which will be available for tenancy before the end of this year.