The purpose of the remedial works scheme is to assist housing authorities to carry out major essential works to certain groups of their rented dwellings which they cannot fund from their own resources. Works to private houses may be funded only where failure to do so would either prevent the carrying out of necessary work to the rented houses, or would give an unacceptable or incongruous result to the estate as a whole. In such cases the maximum contribution under the scheme is 50% of the cost of eligible works. As 16 of the 18 dwellings at Ballybough Street are private, Kilkenny Corporation's proposals were not eligible for funding under the remedial works scheme.