asked the Minister for the Environment if he is fully satisfied that the criteria presently being adopted for entitlement to a house improvement grant is the correct one, with particular reference to inspection before any work is carried out.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grant Criteria.
7.
In relation to the existing house improvement grants scheme I am satisfied that the qualifying conditions, including the prior inspection requirement, as provided for in the Housing (Improvement Grant) Regulations, 1983 are appropriate and necessary.
In respect of what the Minister has just said, if a roof has been blown off because of a storm, or in the event of fire where people cannot wait, for obvious reasons, for an inspection will he consider paying a grant in such circumstances?
That has occurred in cases of emergency. In fact, in cases of emergency if a person rings the Department indicating the emergency an inspector will visit the scene forthwith and the application will be filled up on site. If, for some reason, an inspector cannot travel as a matter of urgency and work proceeds after the date of the phone call the grant may be paid.
Is the Minister aware of instances where phone calls were made to the Department, the Minister's office and the Minister himself, in connection with a grant, but, subsequently, the grant was refused? Will the Minister accept that in the case of a roof being blown off in a storm or serious damage being caused by a fire, work must commence almost on the day of the occurrence?
The system has worked to date. There may have been instances where there was not an emergency. If the Deputy brings any case to my attention I will have it investigated. I must repeat that where there is a genuine emergency there are facilities for paying the grant.
I will bring the instances to the Minister's attention but I should like to know if he can recall that I was in touch with him already? I made a verbal request to the Minister and followed that up with a written one. It appears that the Minister has almost agreed to pay these people the grants and I will certainly follow that up by a visit to his office this afternoon. I should like to raise the question of the many people who improved their accommodation out of necessity. If the work was in progress when the scheme of grants was announced those people could not have sought an inspection before they started the work and I should like to know if the Minister will consider paying grants to such people.
No.
Those people out of sheer necessity had to improve their home whether by replacing a roof or providing additional rooms. Why is it that a person down the road who may have waited six months longer will be paid the grant?
In all such schemes there is always a deadline and people lose out. I should like to remind the Deputy that if people are entitled to a grant they will be paid it.
Is there any provision to pay grants after the work has commenced? I am referring to the provision of a bathroom and toilet. Is an application for a grant after the work has commenced, or has been completed, acceptable? If the Minister does not have that information in his brief perhaps he will be good enough to check it for me.
If the work has commenced people are not entitled to a grant. However, if a person had commenced work on the provision of an additional bedroom but had not started work on the provision of a bathroom before the inspection he would be paid a grant in respect of the bathroom but not for the bedroom. Where work has commenced before inspection the applicant is automatically disqualified.
I appreciate that the Minister cannot have all the information sought in his brief but I am of the opinion that there is a provision to pay a grant in the case of the installation of bathroom and toilet facilities. Will the Minister consider such cases?
No.
In that event will the Minister consider making such provision in the case of home improvements grants?
No. I do not have such a proposal to make.
We must move on to the next question.
I have a further supplementary to put to the Minister. The Chair must bear in mind that I was not responsible for the delay at the start of Question Time.
There have been longer delays since.
I do not take up too much time in the House. I should like to ask the Minister if there is any reason why applications should be submitted prior to the commencement of the work. I should like to give credit where credit is due——
We cannot have these comfortable little chats.
Is the Minister aware of a case in west Donegal where in an unusual case an inspector from his Department called within four hours of a request? I am anxious to convey to the Minister that I appreciated that.
I must move on to the next question.
Deputy John Browne is in hospital and I am sure the House would like to wish him well. Deputy Browne asked me to deal with this question. If work was not to the satisfaction of an inspector and there had been verbal agreement between the applicant and the inspector that the latter would return within the week for a further check but then refused to do so claiming that he had not written notification is the Minister in a position to direct the inspector to visit an applicant to ensure that the grant is paid?
I am always willing to help Deputies. If the Deputy gives me details of such a case I will gladly look into it.