asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the success of the operation of installing a fireplace and chimney in the centrally heated houses in Finglas South, Dublin; and if he will introduce a scheme whereby all tenants will be provided with this vital service without any initial financial outlay on their part.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Finglas (Dublin) Houses.
8.
I understand that the installation of a fireplace and chimney in a centrally heated corporation house in Finglas South has been successful.
Regarding the second part of the question, it is possible in certain circumstances for this type of work to be carried out without any initial financial outlay on the part of tenants. It is open to tenants to apply for the special reconstruction grants which the Minister introduced in October, 1974, in respect of the installation of a fireplace or solid fuel burning appliance in a house without these appliances. Subject to the consent of the local authority and to the rateable valuation limits of up to £20, the combined State and supplementary grants amount to two-thirds of the approved cost of work or £400 per house, whichever is the lesser. Work done on a co-operative basis is reckonable for grant purposes.
A local authority may make a reconstruction loan to a tenant to enable him to meet his share of the cost of the work. Unsecured loans of up to £200 may be made. There is no statutory limit on the amount of a secured loan. It is not necessary for a local authority to seek a down payment by the borrower.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary indicating that a full loan of £200 is available?
The full loan is £200.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary indicate the terms on which these loans are available?
I understand they come from the local authority. I am not sure of that but I will communicate with the Deputy.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether Dublin Corporation, the responsible authority in the matter of the houses to which I have referred, have granted such loans to date?
I have not got that information but off-hand I would say these loans may not have been applied for. I will check it out and communicate with the Deputy.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary accept that the fact that no such loans have been applied for even though these people are concerned that they have not got fireplaces and chimneys would indicate that there is some ambiguity about the information he has given me?
I do not. There are 8,000 such houses in the country without fireplaces and the cost of installing fireplaces and chimneys in all of them would be between £7 million and £8 million.
The Parliamentary Secretary is assuring me that 500 people in Finglas South can have fireplaces and chimneys installed and that the only cost to them would be a loan of £200, which would be available.
A local authority may make a reconstruction loan available to a tenant to enable him to meet his share of the cost. Up to £200 may be needed. There is no statutory limit on the amount of security and it is not necessary for the local authority to seek a down payment from the borrower.
I would prefer if the Parliamentary Secretary had confidence in his layman's expression of the position rather than having resort to that. I ask simply whether or not I and the other Deputies for the area can assure those people that they can now have fireplaces and that there will be no initial cost to them, in other words, they will get the £400 grant and that a loan of £200 is also available to them.
The question is not so simple. It could cost more than £600.
Or less.
It could cost more. If it costs more than £600 I could not say to the Deputy that there is going to be no initial cost to anybody.
The £600 is available in the grant and loan.
It is a bad legacy from Fianna Fáil.
The Government were pulled out of a fix. They could not look after what they were asked to do so they should keep quiet about it.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary clarify whether applicants for this type of grant, called a reconstruction grant by the Parliamentary Secretary, will be subject to the new valuation clause which the Minister instituted this year or will they be free from that?
Yes, they will.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that some of those houses have heat in only one room? As heat is essential in this type of dwelling, would he not agree that there has been a breach of contract in as much as the occupants have not got what they were supposed to get? Could the Department grant them the full amount of the cost, or at least if they are giving this loan give it on an interest-free basis?
The Minister for Local Government has gone a very long way to meet them in giving them the grants and loans. I do not think he could possibly go any further.
As only one room has heat it is absolutely essential——
Question No. 9.