Michael Brennan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Ahern, to the House to address the issue of Glenma housing scheme in Croom, County Limerick and thank him for his help and consideration in this regard over the past 12 months. This application has been ongoing for some time regarding an estate of 43 houses, some in council and some in private ownership. The houses are flat-roofed with no chimneys and poor heating systems and occupants cannot get insurance for them. An application for refurbishment works has been made by Limerick County Council and I understand that detailed drawings and costings have been submitted to the Department.

I urge the Minister to support approval of the application which would allow the county council to tender for this project. The occupants have suffered through the years since the houses were built, at the same time as the Ballymun flats, under the auspices of the National Building Agency. I understand they are one of the last schemes of this type in the country not to have been refurbished.