asked the Minister for Local Government if he will amend the means test governing supplementary housing grants so that the present valuation limit of £60 in the case of farmer applicants can be exceeded where the applicants have qualified dependants as in the case of non-farmer applicants with incomes exceeding £1,200.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answer. - Housing Grants.
33.
The primary purpose of the scheme of supplementary housing grants which are payable by local authorities is to help persons of modest means to provide their own houses as an alternative to seeking subsidised housing accommodation from the local authority. About 90 per cent of farmers are eligible for supplementary grants under the existing rateable valuation limit of £60. I do not consider that an extension of the scheme to include some farmers with valuations in excess of £60 is warranted.
Would the Minister agree that it would be only fair to put the farmers in the same position as the non-farmers with regard to the grants? A valuation of £60 is equated to £1,200 per annum income. That income is exceeded where there are dependants. Would the Minister not allow a similar excess in the case of farmers? It is unfair that farmers with a valuation of £62 or £63 do not get grants. A household can have an income of up to £1,500 and still get a grant.
The £1 rate of valuation is equivalent to about £25 income per year which would provide a yearly income of about £1,500 for farmers. It is only the farmers with high valuations of over £60 which the Deputy wishes to have included. I do not think it is warranted. The scheme of supplementary grants is available to persons of modest means to enable them to build houses.
A farmer who is marginally over the limit should be considered.
I think it is fairly generous on the farming side even at the present time.