Vol. 530 No. 5
134 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the grants or assistance which is available to householders living in houses built circa 1930 which have asbestos ceilings, walls and so on; if he will offer advice to such householders on removing and handling these products particularly where they have damaged edges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4361/01]
There are no specific grants available from my Department or local authorities for the removal of asbestos in housing. There are, however, a number of targeted options currently available to assist especially vulnerable groups such as lower income households and elderly persons to secure necessary improvement works to their houses. These include the local authority house improvement loan scheme, the essential repairs grant scheme and the improvement works in lieu of local authority housing scheme, all administered by local authorities, and the task force on special housing aid for the elderly which is administered by the local health board.
An information leaflet, Asbestos in Your Home, is available free of charge from ENFO, my Department's environmental information service, and can be downloaded directly from the ENFO website: www.enfo.ie. I have arranged for a copy to be forwarded to the Deputy.
The Health and Safety Authority is responsible for the promotion of occupational safety and health and administers and enforces statutory provisions in this area. The HSA is also responsible for the protection of workers involved in the removal of asbestos waste from buildings, structures and installations containing asbestos and would be in a position to advise further on this point.
