Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The areas we continue to support are Ballymun, Bridgefoot Street, Queen Seán Treacy House and Lourdes House in Dublin city. We also have regeneration projects in Cork, Waterford, Limerick, while Sligo and Cox's Demesne in Dundalk are at the planning stage. Tralee town council has a new project. I will check up on the estate in Deputy Flanagan's constituency.

The sum of €500 million is a facility under the housing finance agencies. It is for local authority loans and is not money set aside in a package. Money up to that limit can be drawn down under the home choice loan. It is available to local authorities if those type of people draw down these loans, not to me. I am not in a position to grab the money and put it elsewhere.

See this speech in context