asked the Minister for Local Government when he will make finance available to Carlow County Council to ensure that SDA loans will be paid to qualified applicants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Carlow SDA Loans.
17.
One hundred thousand pounds was approved for issue to Carlow County Council from the Local Loans Fund in the first week in January for their house purchase loan schemes.
I am glad that a certain amount of money has been made available since I put down the question, but is the Minister aware that the county manager informed the county council at yesterday's meeting that when he deals with the backlog of applications for SDA loans he will have sufficient money to deal with applications for only two or three months, and that he recommended to the council that no loans be made available by the county council for previously occupied houses? In view of that will the Minister make money available to the Carlow County Council?
I am not so aware. I am aware that two payments of £50,000 each were paid on 3rd and 10th January, but there was a debit balance of £80,000 due to Carlow because the sum which they required in excess of what they had asked for in 1974 could not be cleared by 31st December, but having paid the £80,000 they would still have £20,000 at present without getting the full allocation or anything like it for 1975.
I can understand the Minister would not be aware of what the county manager informed the council yesterday, but I can assure him that what I am saying is true. The county manager made a recommendation to the council, which was not accepted——
We must have a supplementary question.
——but there is no doubt in my mind that the people will not have money to build their houses nor will they have money in County Carlow or, I am sure, anywhere else to buy previously occupied houses.
I can assure Deputy Nolan that there will be money available in County Carlow and elsewhere, but as regards occupied houses, this is a matter for the Carlow County Council. They take the decision, not the manager.
Is the Minister assuring the House that there will be money available for all suitable applicants?
This question deals with Carlow County Council. I cannot allow an extension of the question into a general area.
Why is there such a backlog?
There is no backlog.
There is a backlog. The Minister is misleading the House as he did in the past on similar questions.
This is the first meeting in 1975, and I resent people like Deputy MacSharry, who does not know the facts, making wild statements here. Before the Christmas recess Deputy MacSharry was making similar statements and I stated then that he was wrong.
I was proved right, and the Minister was proved wrong and he admitted it outside this House.
Order, please.
Has the Minister indicated to the county council that he intends to increase the loan limit from the present £4,500 in this £100,000 he has sent down?
Deputy Burke is, as usual, talking through his hat.
Of the excess 100,000 people unemployed can the Minister state——
That is a separate question. I am calling question No. 18.
I can tell Deputy Andrews that in the 12 months ending 31st December last there were 25,000 odd houses completed.
How many are unemployed in the building sector?
(Interruptions.)
I have called question No. 18.