Vol. 339 No. 5
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will approve the payment of a reconstruction grant to a person (details supplied) in County Galway as she was obliged to carry out immediate repairs after her roof was blown off in a storm and was unable to wait in the circumstances for an inspection to be carried out before proceeding with the work.
15.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the assistance available from his Department to persons who are required to carry out emergency repairs to their houses following storm damage etc; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together.
In relation to the general question, there is provision under the current scheme of house improvement grants for the payment of a grant up to £600 in respect of the carrying out of major necessary works to the basic fabric of a house, subject to the conditions of the scheme being fulfilled in particular cases. An application for such a grant arising from storm damage would be considered on its merits.
As regards the particular case raised by the Deputy, a grant could not be allowed because, contrary to a qualifying condition of the scheme, the work had commenced before an inspection of the house was carried out.
I should like the Minister to reconsider the terms of his reply. Will the Minister agree it is unfair where a person of little means suffers storm damage to a house and rain comes through the roof that a reconstruction grant is not paid although it would be imperative to arrange for immediate repairs to be carried out? How can people be expected to continue to live in a house with the rain coming through the roof? Will the Minister agree that it is most unreasonable of his Department to expect a person in such circumstances to wait up to five weeks, with the rain coming in, for an inspector to arrive? I am sure the Minister will agree that that is ludicrous.
I agree. The scheme is not designed to meet the storm damage conditions the Deputy has described, particularly in regard to houses that are not insured. Approximately 70 per cent of all homes have household insurance which would protect them in such circumstances but it is in the interest of the other 30 per cent who are not so protected, and our interest, to protect our housing stock with some type of arrangement. If the Deputy has any specific suggestion I will consider it. It may be possible to have some system of certification through the Garda that the damage existed and that the work had to start immediately. I am open to suggestions. The scheme as presently designed does not address itself to the problem the Deputy has identified.
Will the Minister consider making a change in arrangements to have emergency cases considered as a priority? The Minister should be given some discretion in regard to the payment of grants for emergency cases such as those I outlined.
I will look at that proposal.
Retrospectively?
That is another matter, but I will consider the proposal put forward by the Deputy.
