Vol. 497 No. 5
238 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the demands being placed on the Threshold housing advice service in the conditions created by the present housing crisis to the extent that the organisation, which is a voluntary body with charitable status in tax law, is now dealing with a person in housing need or crisis every 15 minutes; and his views in relation to this situation. [25925/98]
258 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make available a grant of £100,000 to Threshold to allow it to operate its telephone line in its Dublin office in view of the fact that Threshold dealt with 15,000 people who had housing problems in 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25578/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 258 together.
Threshold's application for increased funding towards its general and administrative expenses will be considered in the context of the overall provision for assistance for voluntary housing organisations in my Department's 1999 Estimates and having regard to the requirements of other organisations which are providing services in this area.
