asked the Minister for Local Government the type of houses that now qualify for relief of rates for the first ten years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rates Relief.
5.
All new houses which do not exceed 116 square metres in floor area will continue to receive the nine-year graduated relief of rates, provided:
(1) a State grant is paid, or
(2) where the house forms part of a scheme of four or more houses being provided for sale, a certificate of reasonable value and a certificate of satisfactory completion have been issued by my Department, or
(3) in all other cases, a certificate of satisfactory completion and a certificate of exemption from the requirement of a certificate of reasonable value have been issued by my Department.
May I ask the Minister if he will re-examine the new type of form which has been issued to people who have made application for new house grants since 1st January in which they are asked a series of questions none of which applies? They are not necessary.
I will do that.
It creates a problem for individuals who are building single houses, and building them by direct labour rather than contract.
I will do that.
Maybe I misheard the Minister's reply. Did he say the remission of rates is confined to those people to whom State grants are now paid?
No. I gave three qualifications. One is where a State grant is paid. The second is that they have a certificate of reasonable value. In all cases they must be under 116 square metres. The third is that a certificate of satisfactory completion and a certificate of exemption from the requirement of a certificate of reasonable value are required. That is where fewer than four houses are built.
On the first point, the payment of the State grant, does that still apply in the case of new houses built where they do not now qualify for the State grant because of income limitations?
It does apply.
In other words, rates remission is with held from them?
No, the other way around.
They qualify for rates remission under the old scheme.
That is right.
Question No. 6 postponed.