Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 6

Written Answers - Housing Grants.

Enda Kenny

Question:

329 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to change the floor area requirement for eligibility in respect of new house grants in view of the number of house owners who provide extensions to their houses inside a period of five years with consequential further expense involved; the consideration, if any, he has given to a sliding scale in respect of floor area size and a proportion of grant payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23447/98]

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

New house grants are payable only in respect of reasonably sized houses. As it is possible to provide a reasonably sized four bedroomed house within the current upper floor area limit of 125 square metres and having regard to the priority demands on housing expenditure for the local authority and social housing programmes, I have no proposals to increase the maximum floor area limit for new house grant purposes either generally or on a sliding scale.