Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 1

Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.

Jack Wall

Question:

150 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his Department will waive the cost of a work in lieu grant application for a local authority if the applicant is an old age pensioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23862/99]

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

I assume the Deputy is referring to the scheme of improvement works in lieu of local authority housing which enables local authorities to improve or extend privately owned houses occupied or intended to be occupied by an approved applicant for housing as an alternative to the provision of local authority housing.

Local authorities are responsible for operating this scheme in their own areas, for assessing eligibility, deciding on the works to be carried out and for payment of the cost of the works to the house. Beneficiaries are required to make weekly or monthly repayments to the local authority in respect of the local authority's costs for a maximum of 15 years or when the aggregate of the payments made equals the amount of the loan whichever is the sooner. The charge is set by the local authority and is calculated in much the same way as differential rents for local authority tenants, that is on the basis of income-ability to pay and the cost of the works involved. As the terms of the scheme already take into account ability to pay, I have no plans to revise the terms of the scheme in this regard.