Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following:

"recognises the Government's decision in regard to the first-time buyer's new house grant as one of the measures necessary in order to ensure a sustainable match between Government resources and expenditure and supports the continued action and commitment by the Government to focus housing expenditure on responding to the needs of low income households and those with special needs through a broad range of targeted initiatives."

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, to the House. I realise the difficult decisions he and his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Cullen, had to make in the context of the Estimates, particularly in ensuring a sustainable match between Government resources and expenditure. The new house grant was introduced in its current form in 1977 when just 17,000 new private houses were being built each year. I recall it in particular because it was an issue in the general election of that year. Some 25 years later, private housing output exceeds 47,000 units.

I welcome the Minister's commitment to social housing, affordable housing and the disabled person's housing grant. However, some clarification is needed in regard to families who have moved into estates or perhaps families who are waiting to move into affordable housing schemes. I refer in particular to families who have not yet signed contracts but whose local authority, in this instance Galway County Council, has contracts signed with the builders. The Minister of State might clarify if people in estates such as Mount Bellew, Tuam, Abbey, Loughrey, including families who are about to move into a scheme in Loughrey, are eligible for the new house grant. I believe they will qualify as the local authority has signed contracts.