asked the Minister for Local Government if he will pay contractors who carry out work on houses under section 5 of the Housing (Loans and Grants) Act, 1962 according to specification instead of telling them that extras will have to be done.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Payment of Housing Contractors.
12.
In the administration of grants under section 5 of the Housing (Loans and Grants) Act, 1962, the schedule and estimate of repairs required to be done are prepared by the housing authority, and the State grant is provisionally determined on the basis of that estimate. My Department's inspectors are concerned only in certifying that the works scheduled by the housing authority have been completed satisfactorily, and they do not normally ask to have extra works carried out. The State grant under section 5 of the Act is not paid to the contractor except on authorisation by the occupier of the house.
Is the Minister aware that an estimate is made out by the local authority, the work is carried out by a contractor and after that, a Department inspector comes down and says that the grant cannot be paid because the work is not to his satisfaction. He has carried out the work according to the specification of the local authority and I know several contractors who are about to cease work for the local authority if this is not rectified immediately.
Only in the most exceptional circumstances in practice in Sligo and Leitrim, which is the area about which the Deputy is immediately concerned, have cases arisen in which work was specified over and above that which was outlined originally by the local authority officials or engineers. Only in exceptional cases has that arisen and where it has arisen it was then for a very good reason that after the works as specified had been carried out, it was found that certain other works were necessary, even for limited repair purposes.
Would the Minister see that grants will be paid to these contractors? They are over six months waiting for the grants.
I cannot say what cases the Deputy is talking about. I have not got details. If there is difficulty in specific cases the Deputy, or anybody in the House, is aware of that have come about as a result of this extra works scheme asked for at the time of the sanction stage, I shall have them investigated and I shall rectify the situation as soon as possible.