Vol. 475 No. 5
120 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends making a special allocation to local authorities to enable them to comply with the 1993 housing standard regulations regarding an adequate source of heating in each rented unit by 1 January 1998; if he has estimated the cost of this regulation in each housing authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5275/97]
Article 7 of these regulations requires rented accommodation to contain an appliance or appliances capable of providing adequate space heating and defines the term appliance as including an open fireplace. Since 1994, it has been the policy that all new local authority housing should be provided with full central heating. In relation to accommodation provided before then, heating by means of a fireplace, central heating or other appliance was provided. All local authority dwellings should therefore comply with the regulations in this regard and I do not consider a special allocation to be required.
