Desmond J. O'Malley
Ceist:41 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for the Environment the progress made to date under the new proposals for the sale of local authority houses and flats; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Tenant Purchase Scheme.
Detailed information on the scale of local authority houses to tenants is published quarterly in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
As previously indicated in the reply to Questions Nos. 67, 132, 135 and 156 of 9 February 1994, a number of important legal, financial and policy issues relating to the sale of local authority flats are being examined in my Department. It is now clear that these issues present considerable difficulties in terms of devising workable and legally sustainable sale arrangements that would be acceptable to tenant purchasers and local authorities in the long run. I am endeavouring to complete the examination of the matter as quickly as possible so that decisions can be taken and announced.