Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Apr 1998

Vol. 490 No. 2

Written Answers - Housing Grants.

Liam Aylward

Question:

220 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether the new house grant payable by his Department is means tested; his views on whether a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, who has been refused this grant, is being discriminated against on the grounds that a settlement received by his partner, whose name was also included on the application, is being assessed as means against them both; and if he will review the application with a view to having approval issued in view of the fact that neither person ever received a new house grant or owned a house prior to this. [10051/98]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

The conditions governing the new house grant scheme normally preclude payment of a grant where a person who is party to a joint application or the spouse of such person had previously purchased or built, individually or with each other, another house for his or her own occupation. However, a grant may be allowed where the marriage of the person has been dissolved or annulled by court order, or the person is separated under a court order or a deed of separation; and the person and any dependants are in need of housing; and the Minister is satisfied that refusal to pay a grant would cause undue hardship. Each such application is considered on its merits.

In this particular case, having regard to the fact that the cost of the house was £36,350, there was a separation settlement of £37,000 and joint income of over £19,000, payment of a new house grant could not be allowed to the applicants.