asked the Minister for Local Government if he will authorise local authorities to administer, in full, the payment of State housing grants and thereby substantially reduce administrative costs, and, as a result, building costs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State Housing Grants.
It would require amending legislation to enable local housing authorities to administer the housing grants now administered in my Department. New housing legislation is due to come up for consideration early next year. It would be premature for me to express any opinion at this stage on the merits or practicability of decentralising this work. The Deputy may take it, however, that this suggestion is one that has already come to my notice and that it, in common with many other suggestions for amendment of the housing law, will receive due consideration before legislation is introduced.