asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received proposals for a subsidised heating scheme for occupants of flats at Fassaroe Park, Bray, County Wicklow, from the Bray UDC, if he has held discussions with the UDC on this matter, if he will assist such a scheme from the funds at his disposal, and when tenants can expect heaters to be installed.
Written Answers. - Bray Flats Heating Scheme.
347.
Bray Urban District Council recently wrote to my Department indicating that they proposed to instal storage or space heaters in Fassaroe Park flats and to meet the installation and running costs out of moneys provided for repairs and maintenance of their rented estate. My Department informed the council that a decision to take action on these lines would be primarily a matter for the council, subject to the constraints placed on them by their obligation to ensure that sufficient finance is available to maintain all their tenanted houses in good repair, as required by the Housing Authorities (Borrowing and Management) Regulations, 1974. Local authorities are allowed to retain all rents and miscellaneous receipts from their rented housing operations and up to 50 per cent of the proceeds of sales of dwellings to tenants to enable them to meet the costs of maintaining and managing their housing estates.
Due to the necessity to conserve available housing capital moneys to provide urgently required local authority houses and to finance local authority house purchase loans, I regret that I cannot make special allocation of funds to enable Bray Urban Council to finance their proposed scheme. Subject to the considerations I have mentioned, it is a matter for the council to decide when the heaters may be installed.