(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if in view of a letter dated 12 February, 1980 addressed by him to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan regarding an application for a home improvement grant, he will now arrange to have the house inspected and the grant paid; and the number of occasions the person has requested inspection and payment of the grant.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grant Payments.
7.
The letter dated 12 February 1980 referred to is an acknowledgement of the receipt in the Department of an application for a house improvement grant. There is no record of any correspondence from the applicant since the receipt of the application. However, following recent representations on his behalf, the Department's inspector has been asked to carry out an inspection as soon as possible with a view to certification for payment of the grant, if in order.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Does the Minister appreciate that work on this job has been completed for a very long time? Would he ask the inspector to expendite the inspection so that the grant may now be paid?
The Department have no record of any correspondence from the applicant since receipt of the application. However, following recent representations this case has gone for inspection with a view to payment of the grant. I shall bear the Deputy's remarks in mind.
8.
(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if a person (details supplied) in County Cavan applied for a home improvement grant; the date of the application; the date the house was inspected; and when the grant will be paid.
The person named applied to my Department for a house improvement grant in April 1976 and following an inspection a grant of £200 was allocated in August 1976, under the former grants scheme. However, as a request for payment of the grant was not received in the Department on or before 31 January 1980, payment is now precluded by section 23 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979. Another application under the current grants scheme was received from the same person on 24 January 1980, and the Department's inspector has been asked for a report as soon as possible so that the applicant's entitlement to a grant on foot of this application can be determined.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The first grant was not paid because payment had not been applied for before 31 January 1980. Does the Minister not think that it is a bit unfair to debar this man from a grant simply because he did not apply before that date? Will the Minister ensure that he does not fall between two stools, the applicant I mean, and that he will get a grant under one scheme or the other.
I should like to throw some light on this for the Deputy's benefit. It has come to light that the same applicant made another application for a grant for plastering, floors and doors on 24 January 1980, in time to be considered under the scheme. However, that application was recorded in the County Leitrim index because the applicant had given an address in County Leitrim, the other application having been recorded in the County Cavan index, because the applicant had given an address in County Cavan and the two files were not associated. The applicant probably became confused between the two applications and may have assumed that the application of last August related to the January 1980 application. Apart from the standard letter of acknowledgment, action has not been taken on the current application because payment of the grant had not been claimed.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Minister agree that it is he and the Department who are a bit confused? Is he aware that a big area of west Cavan, from the parish of Glengoura, Gowha, right up to Killeshandra, have County Leitrim in their address? Carrick-on-Shannon is the prinipal post office. The Minister and the Department should be aware of that. Obviously it is they who have confused the matter, not the applicant.
The applicant was confused as well in regard to the address. I will have the matter attended to immediately and I will communicate with the Deputy. If the grant is in order——
Surely the unfortunate man knows where he lives.
9.
(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if he will explain the delay in the payment of water and sewerage grants to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; if he will give the dates on which the application was made and the notice of completion of the work was received; if he has been requested by Cavan County Council to notify them of the payment of the grant so that they may pay their grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
My Department have no record of an application from a person with the name and address mentioned by the Deputy.
Have the Department a record of an application from a person with a similar name or address?
I have given the reply in regard to the person mentioned in the question.
Is there a likelihood there may have been confusion in regard to the Christian name or the name of the townland?
We have made an exhaustive search in the Department and we are unable to trace the name and the address.
(Cavan-Monaghan): At this late stage may I ask the Minister if he will agree to postpone the question? I have only come into the House having been away for a couple of days. The name is not given in the question for obvious reasons, and I am not in a position to ask supplementaries that perhaps I should ask.
The question has been answered.
This would appear to be another of the "less than 50 cases". Will the Minister accept a sworn affidavit from this applicant?
The answer is a straight no.