asked the Minister for Local Government if the Government will take steps to make funds available to building societies to enable them to deal with the long waiting list of housing loan applicants who are unable to obtain housing loans from local authorities and are waiting for months to obtain building society loans.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Funds for Building Societies.
13.
Building societies have in the past shown themselves capable of attracting from the public sufficient investments for their purposes. The amount they have lent for housing on the basis of public investment has grown from about £4,500,000 in 1962 to £10,200,000 in 1968. The Government does not propose in these circumstances to advance to the societies funds which are fully required for its own housing programme, estimated to cost a record £29,800,000 in the current financial year.
No eligible applicants are unable at present to obtain loans from local authorities.