asked the Minister for the Environment whether he is prepared to pay a home improvement grant to persons who undertake work urgently at the behest of a health inspector without getting prior inspection by his Department for grant purposes, in a case where the health inspector can provide documentary evidence of inspecting the work before commencement, during progress and on completion of the sewerage work (details of case supplied).
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
491.
Under the Housing (Improvement Grants) Regulations 1983, an improvement grant shall not be paid where the relevant works are commenced before an inspection of the house is carried out by an officer of my Department. Consequently, it is not open to me, in law, to pay a grant in the circumstances referred to by the Deputy. I should point out however that my Department have special emergency arrangements in operation to provide for inspections in cases where immediate remedial works may be required. The position in this respect was explained to the Deputy in a letter which I sent to him on 5 October 1984.
492.
asked the Minister for the Environment the reason a new house grant applied for in April 1983 was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
One of the conditions governing payment of a new house grant requires that the applicant must occupy the house as his normal place of residence. In this case my Department's inspector established that the applicant was not occupying the house and that it was rented to another person. In the circumstances this application for a new house grant was refused.