Vol. 475 No. 6
113 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the number of people on the housing list in each of the local authorities in counties Wexford, Wicklow and Louth; the numbers in each case who are designated in urgent need of rehousing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5545/97]
114 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the reason counties Wexford and Wicklow have each been allocated 170 new dwelling starts under the local authority house building programme in view of the fact that a county like Louth, which has a bigger population than either of those counties, only received sanction for 99 new house starts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5546/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together.
Details of the numbers of approved applicants assessed by local authorities, including those in counties Louth, Wexford and Wicklow, as being in need of housing in March 1996 are included in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletin, September Quarter, 1996, copies of which are in the Oireachtas Library. It is a matter for local authorities to determine the relative urgency of the housing need of those included in the assessments.
The allocations of housing starts for 1997 which issued to local authorities on 19 February were determined having regard to the overall number of starts authorised for the national programme for the year and the extent of housing needs as indicated in the local authority assessments.
