asked the Minister for Local Government if, with regard to the income limit of £832 per annum imposed by the Housing (Loans and Grants) Act, 1962, for the payment of the supplementary grant, he will, in cases where the local authority had, prior to the passing of this Act, prescribed a higher income limit than £832 per annum for the payment of this grant, permit the local authority concerned to continue to use this higher income limit.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Income Limit for Supplementary Housing Grants.
27.
I am advised that where payment of a grant was approved by a housing authority under Section 11 of the Housing (Amendment) Act, 1952, in any particular case, before the coming into force of the Housing (Loans and Grants) Act, 1962, the grant may be paid notwithstanding the repeal of Section 11 by the later Act.
The determination of the income of a person applying for a supplementary grant under Section 12 of the 1962 Act is a matter for the housing authority. I informed the Dáil in this connection at the time the Bill was being debated that housing authorities could, if they so wished, make allowances for dependants, etc., when determining income for the purposes of Section 12. I also informed housing authorities in a circular letter which issued when copies of the Act were being circulated to these authorities that they could make "reasonable allowances for family circumstances in assessing income for the purposes of the section."