Vol. 496 No. 6
342 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals, if any, he has to change the regulations relating to the first time buyers new house grant as they refer to separated or divorced people; the current regulations for these people. [23774/98]
Section 5(4) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979, as inserted by section 25 of the Housing Act, 1988, enables the payment of a £3,000 new house grant to a person who, or whose spouse, had previously purchased or built a house and whose marriage has subsequently been dissolved or annulled by order of a court or who has separated under an order of court or by deed of separation, where the Minister is satisfied as to the person's need for housing and that refusal to pay a grant would cause undue hardship. I have no proposals, at this stage, to amend this provision.
