asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the fact that the present income limits for loans and supplementary grants for house-building exclude many normal wage and salary earners, he will now take steps to raise these income limits.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Grants.
25.
The present income limit of eligibility for local authority loans, which is £1,040 per annum, applies only where the parent loan is raised by the local authority from the Local Loans Fund and it is open to local authorities to propose to raise money from other sources for lending to persons outside the limit.
The income limit for supplementary grants is fixed by statute and can be revised only by amending legislation. As I have indicated previously, however, it is my opinion that local authorities may make reasonable allowances for family circumstances in applying the income limit prescribed for such grants.
26.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of the present inadequacy of grants for the building and reconstruction of houses and the present steep increase in the prices of all types of building, he will take immediate steps to increase these grants.
The present record rate of allocations for new houses and the continuing high rate for reconstruction works do not suggest that the rates of grants are inadequate and I do not propose to revise them at this stage.