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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1976

Vol. 293 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - SDA Loans.

15.

asked the Minister for Local Government the number of SDA loans approved in the quarter ended 30th June, 1975, and for the quarter ended 30th June, 1976; and the percentage change.

The numbers were 2,871 and 1,394 respectively. The percentage change was 51.

Would the Minister agree that he is deliberately phasing out the SDA loan scheme and thereby depriving young people of courage and initiative from building or buying their own homes thus ensuring that the lower income family group cannot build or buy their own homes?

This is the most ridiculous argument I have heard in the House from Deputy Faulkner and I have heard a number of ridiculous ones. There is no onus on this or any other Government to be the only agency from which money is made available for house building. In view of the fact that other agencies in the country are making fantastic amounts of money available for house building, there is no necessity to provide this extra money. Some of it has been diverted to very useful schemes. Perhaps Deputy Faulkner will object to them. The suggestion that people who want to build their own houses are unable to get the necessary money is too ridiculous to bother going into detail about.

I am very interested in the Minister's new variety of socialism. Might I again ask him if he will not agree that it is now impossible for families in the lower income group to obtain loans to build or buy their own homes? Is this the Minister's object?

Deputy Faulkner's question is just about as intelligent as his views on socialism. I know what views he and his people have on socialism in the country. There is no question whatever that there is a scarcity of money for people who want to build their own houses. Deputy Faulkner must know this because in Country Louth more houses are being built than he thought ever could be built in the country.

Making personal attacks on me will not solve anything. It certainly will not reach the conclusion the Minister would like, that I would not ask him any further supplementary questions. Is the Minister aware that any person with an income of over £45 a week cannot get an SDA loan? Is he also aware that it is impossible for people with an income slightly above this level to get a loan from any of the other agencies, particularly if that person lives in a rural area?

My apologies to Deputy Faulkner if he thinks I was being personal. I did not think he was so sore about his views on socialism. Deputy Faulkner said that the amount of SDA loan which could be got for those under £45 a week was entirely inadequate and that they had to borrow elsewhere. They are now borrowing all the money elsewhere although there is still a substantial sum being borrowed by people under the SDA loans throughout the country. There are certain areas where it is not being used. A substantial amount of money is being borrowed under the SDA loan in certain areas. I have not yet met people who can tell me they are unable to get loans to build houses if they wish to do so.

Question No. 16.

I am absolutely amazed at the Minister's reply.

We want to deal with other questions as well.

The Minister has already stated that there has been a drop of over 51 per cent in the applications for SDA loans. He now tells us that people all over the place are getting loans when his own figures show that there has been a 50 per cent cut in them.

This is argument. This is not a question. Question No. 16.

Is the Minister aware that the increased costs in the building industry are much higher than the general inflationary rate? The costs have increased by 99 per cent since May, 1973, when the maximum SDA loan levels and qualifying income limits were fixed? Does he not accept that in such circumstances this adds up to a calamitous situation for those in the lower income groups whom the Minister and his party like to think they look after?

This is a very long question.

Those people are unable to buy or build their own homes.

It is very hard to follow the ramifications of this long question if it was a question. The situation is that the houses are still being built. Deputy Faulkner does not seem to have understood this. We still have up to 25,000 houses per year being built and the money is being made available. There was a time when people said that the amount of interest was so much that they wanted to stay on SDA for that purpose. They also used the amount of money available. Deputy Faulkner claimed it was not enough and they would have to borrow elsewhere. I assume he was talking about building societies. There has been a big reduction in the number of people who are using this amount of money where houses cost extra money. In a number of areas, including the one where Deputy Faulkner lives, there are quite a number of people who are still using the SDA amount they are getting. However, the amount of money which is required to keep the housing programme going is available for anybody who qualifies and wants it. This is a very big number, amounting to almost 25,000 this year.

Question No. 16.

The Minister has said that the houses are still being built. In fact, fewer houses were built in the first six months of this year than in the same period last year.

The Deputy should wait until the end of the year and he can count them again. He will be so far wrong that, like last year, he will be ashamed to mention the matter for a few months.

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