asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the recent increase in house improvement grants, he will consider increasing grants now payable for essential repairs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - House Improvement Grants.
9.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, as already announced, the maximum amount of recoupment by the Department to local authorities in respect of individual cases of essential repairs has been increased from £300 to £600 with effect from 1 December, 1985. The administration of these grants is a matter for each county council.
Will the Minister accept that a grant of £600 for essential repairs would not go very far if the person wanted a good job done? The grants are very useful in areas where houses have to be held together, especially for old people. Will he accept that as a result of the decision to increase the house improvement grants there should be a pro rata increase in the grants for essential repairs?
I sympathise with the sentiments expressed by the Deputy but I should like to remind him that those grants uniquely, unlike all other home improvement grants, are 100 per cent grants. A recipient does not have to put up any cash while, in the case of other house improvement grants, the norm is a maximum of one-third of the cost and in respect of the new £5,000 pre-1940 houses it is two-thirds. In this instance we have increased by 100 per cent the amount of money available and the recipient does not have to make any contribution. Clearly, there are constraints in regard to the amount of money we can give but it is not fully understood that this scheme is confined to rural areas and that there is no contribution required from the recipient. A grant of £600 is available for approved improvement works.
Would the Minister accept that, from information that I have received, this grant is administered in various ways? Some county councils have their own method of applying the grant. For instance, in Mayo the maximum grant payable at present is £1,000. There seems to be some discretion as far as county councils are concerned in the administration of the grants. In all cases it need not necessarily be a 100 per cent grant.
As the Deputy will readily appreciate, my constituency is different from his but, from the information supplied to me here and in respect of the reply which I gave to the Deputy, the administration of these grants is a matter for each county council. The sum of money is the same nationwide. There could, however, be some supplementary allowances that a particular local authority are adding. I refer the Deputy to his own county manager to check the position, but it may be possible that the special aid for the elderly scheme could assist some people who are not otherwise in a position to receive assistance. It may very well be that what he is referring to could come under that category.