asked the Minister for Local Government whether the limitations provided by sections 9 and 10 of the Housing Act, 1952 are alternate; or whether, in the event of an applicant having both farm and other income, both should be amalgamated for consideration of entitlement to a supplementary grant.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Act, 1952: Supplementary Grants.
4.
An application by a farmer, as defined in section 2 of the Housing (Amendment) Act, 1952, for a supplementary grant under that Act falls to be dealt with under section 9 of the Act. A grant under section 10 of the Act may be made only to a person who is not a farmer, as so defined. Where a person has income from a farm and from another source, it is a matter for the housing authority to decide whether the person's source of livelihood is derived mainly from the pursuit of agriculture, that is to say, whether he is a farmer for the purposes of the Act. If they decide that he is, the application falls to be dealt with under section 9 and the valuation of the applicant's holding becomes the sole relevant consideration. If they decide otherwise, the income from both sources would be reckonable for the purposes of section 10 of the Act.