asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state, in the case of reconstruction grants paid in each county and county borough, the proportion of the cost of reconstruction or improvement which is covered by the grant as paid to (a) farmers and agricultural workers, and (b) others.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reconstruction and Improvement Grants.
9.
Information in the form requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department and it would not be possible to compile it, on a county and county borough basis, from approximately 9,000 grants and the related supplementary grants. The general position is that the grant for farmers and agricultural workers is calculated at two-thirds of the estimated cost subject to the statutory maxima of £100, £120 and £140 respectively for houses containing three, four and five rooms after reconstruction. The grant in other cases is calculated at the rate of one-third of the cost subject to the same statutory maxima. Where the cost of reconstruction exceeds £300 for a three-roomed house, £360 for a four-roomed house or £420 for a five-roomed house, expenditure in excess of these amounts is met in full by applicants, even where full supplementary grants are payable. Where supplementary grants are not payable the point at which the applicant begins to meet 100 per cent of the excess cost occurs much earlier.