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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 5

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - House Improvement Grants.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

9 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2366/94]

Seymour Crawford

Question:

15 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to reintroduce reconstruction grants. [1762/94]

Enda Kenny

Question:

22 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2367/94]

Paul McGrath

Question:

31 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2364/94]

Ivan Yates

Question:

40 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2360/94]

Dinny McGinley

Question:

47 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2365/94]

Gay Mitchell

Question:

54 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2363/94]

Jim Mitchell

Question:

56 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2362/94]

Alan M. Dukes

Question:

57 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2370/94]

Andrew Boylan

Question:

69 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2369/94]

Edward Nealon

Question:

72 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to introduce a house improvement grant scheme for the refurbishing of old houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2361/94]

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

99 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to reintroduce maintenance grants in respect of older houses. [376/94]

Liam Burke

Question:

100 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for the Environment when he will be in a position to provide the housing improvements grant scheme as announced recently by the Minister of State at his Department; if the scheme has been sanctioned by the Cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [383/94]

Dermot Ahern

Question:

101 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to reintroduce housing grants for the repair of houses in the future; if so, when. [526/94]

Dermot Ahern

Question:

102 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment if he will re-introduce housing grants for the repair of houses in the future; and, if so, when; if he will make a statement on the matter. [2226/94]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 15, 22, 31, 40, 47, 54, 56, 57, 69, 72, 99, 100, 101 and 102 together.

It is not possible at this time to provide the funds necessary for a house improvement grants scheme. The priority in the Programme for a Partnership Government is to reduce pressure on local authority waiting lists to the greatest extent possible by speeding up implementation of the Plan for Social Housing and making a much more substantial provision for local authority housing.

I am very disappointed with the Minister's response to what I thought was a positive question. Is he aware that a great many people in towns and cities are living in substandard dwellings which are in need of repair? Local authority house repair grants were abolished by a Fianna Fáil Minister in 1987.

The Deputy should not raise that issue; it resulted in £200 million of borrowings.

Grants were an encouragement to people to spend money which they could not afford on the repair of their houses rather than applying to be included on the local authority housing waiting list. The number on the list is increasing every day and there is no possibility of being housed by the local authority. The reintroduction of such grants would take the pressure off. Would the Minister agree that repair grants should be reintroduced?

Members of the Fine Gael Party say that Government spending is out of control and has to be reduced and yet Members put forward proposals for additional spending. When the Fine Gael Party was in Government a colleague of Deputy McCormack's put in place the house improvement grants scheme in 1985. The cost of the scheme, which was terminated in 1987, was £200 million. It was a badly thought out scheme with wide application and anyone could qualify for a grant.

It was a Coalition Government.

We were paying out taxpayers' money at the behest of the Fine Gael Minister for the provision of sun lounges at the back of grandiose houses in Dublin 4 and the ordinary taxpayer had to pick up the tab. This gave home improvement grants a very bad name. That is not to say that it is not desirable to have such a grant. Our priority is the reduction of the number on the waiting list and the local authority housing programme is the prime area. Since we came to office in 1993 the number of house starts per year has trebled and it now stands at 3,500.

We do not want any more lectures.

In 1994, 9,000 families will be provided with homes and that represents a 50 per cent increase on the 1992 figure.

The lists are getting longer.

Sir, may I answer Deputy McCormack without being interrupted by his colleague who did not table this question?

I tabled a question.

If I am allowed to answer I will do the best I can.

The condition of the housing stock is a matter of concern and as an ongoing process we will be looking at the possibility of a home improvement grant scheme. The results of a national survey carried out on the housing stock in 1990 show the changes between 1980 and 1990. In that period the number of unfit houses fell from 8.1 per cent to 5.5 per cent; the number of dwellings without a fixed bath or a shower fell from 19.5 per cent to 8 per cent; the number of dwellings without an internal WC fell from 16 per cent to 6.4 per cent and the number of dwellings without an internal water supply fell from 4.3 per cent to 2.3 per cent. There is also a number of measures currently available to people to improve the housing stock. The disabled persons grant and the essential repairs grant are available.

Not everyone qualifies for that.

This is really terrible.

The task force on special housing aid for the elderly is available.

This is an absolute abuse of Question Time.

The scheme of improvement works in lieu of local authority housing is available and is being used. Local authority house improvement loans are available and are being availed of quite extensively. I am satisfied we have our priorities right and we are extending and continuing the provision of homes for people immediately in need of them. Measures are in place also to allow people improve their houses.

Will the Minister accept that a case could be made in certain circumstances to introduce a grant to enable local authorities buy houses, repair them and rent them out rather than allowing village houses to become derelict while building unsightly local authority estates in our villages? This is something about which I feel strongly.

I fully support the argument by Deputy Quill which is part of our housing policy. Last year implementing that policy, local authorities purchased 369 existing houses. These can be bought unfit at the point of purchase and renovated so that they are habitable or they can be bought fit for habitation. We are encouraging local authorities to buy such houses, renovate them and lease them to tenants. That is part of our policy and I am glad to have Deputy Quill's support.

In light of the Minister's reply, is he aware that in the Cork Corporation area there are 1761 people on the housing list with 722 being assessed to go on to it? That brings the figure on the housing list to 2,500. In South Cork, adjoining Cork city, there are 425 people on the housing list. Is the Minister aware that this year there were 130 house starts in Cork which has a potential waiting list of 2,500? How can the Minister have the cheek to tell us he is dealing with the housing crisis?

Fine Gael Members constantly come into the House and demand additional services and then criticise the Government for spending money.

The Minister was better when he was not a Minister of State.

We have to spend money to provide the services——

Two and a half thousand people on the waiting list in Cork.

——but Fine Gael demand cuts in funding while demanding an expansion of services.

The Minister is not dealing with the problem.

The figures Deputy Barrett gave in relation to Cork are nonsense. They are not accurate——

The Minister should talk to his officials in Cork.

——and the Deputy knows that.

(Interruptions.)

Over 500 houses will be provided in Cork in 1994 but the Deputy is only taking one aspect of the plan for social housing.

(Interruptions.)

The Minister is replying.

There are 2,500 people on the waiting list in Cork.

The Deputy knows he is wrong and is being selective. He is electioneering in this House and he should be ashamed of himself.

The Minister's officials in Cork confirm it — 2,500 people on the waiting list and 130 starts.

Will we get the grants?

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