asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make funds available to Dublin County Council to refurbish structurally defective prefabricated fireplaces which are a fire hazard in all tenant purchase houses in which prefabricated chimneys were installed with county council permission and approval, and with grants and sanction from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Prefabricated Fireplaces.
43.
My Department recently indicated to Dublin County Council that the replacement of prefabricated chimneys in tenant purchase houses by masonry chimneys would normally qualify for improvement grants, provided that no previous solid fuel-chimney grants were paid in respect of the dwellings within seven years of the commencement of the new installation and that no other chimneys exist within the houses.
A request for a capital allocation to finance the after-grant cost of replacing prefabricated chimneys in tenant-purchase houses was received from Dublin County Council on 18 February 1986. This request is under consideration.