Ciarán Cuffe
Ceist:419 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of stand-alone housing units constructed in rural areas in the past year of available statistics. [24480/02]
Written Answers. - Housing Projects.
Ciarán Cuffe
Ceist:420 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of stand-alone housing units constructed in Gaeltacht areas in the past year of available statistics. [24479/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 420 together.
Precise estimates of the numbers and distribution of new dwellings that are built in the countryside are difficult to establish, and my Department does not have any definitive figures in this regard, either in respect of the country as a whole, or specifically in respect of Gaeltacht areas.
A research report entitled "Urban and Rural Roles", carried out in support of the preparation of the national spatial strategy contains details of the number of planning applications to local authorities for single dwellings in the period 1997 to 1999 and also contains an analysis of house completions in areas outside those with a population of 1,500 or more over the same period by reference to new connections to the electricity grid for single domestic customers in such areas. The overall finding was that of the order of one in three housing completions in Ireland was in respect of single houses in rural areas as defined above.