Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Dec 2001

Vol. 545 No. 4

Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.

Michael Bell

Question:

304 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses in Dundalk Urban District Council, Louth County Council and Drogheda Corporation where central heating has been installed; his views on whether the two largest towns in the county (details supplied) have the lowest level of central heating installations; the level of application for funding which has been submitted by the three local authorities in County Louth over the past four years; the level of funding provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30844/01]

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

In 1994 local authorities were advised that full central heating should be provided in all new local authority housing. Information supplied by the local authorities in County Louth indicate that at 31 December 2000, the number of their rented dwellings with full central heating was as follows:

Local Authority	Number with Central Heating
Louth County CouncilDundalk UDCDrogheda Corporation	201210387

In addition Dundalk Urban District Council indicated that a further 100 rented dwellings had partial central heating.

As indicated in reply to Question No. 667 of 3 October 2001, from the Deputy, the management, maintenance and improvement of their existing dwellings, including the installation of central heating, is the responsibility of local authorities to be defrayed from their own resources. It is properly a matter for individual authorities themselves to prioritise programmes of maintenance and improvement works within these resources.

Where capital funding is provided under my Department's remedial works scheme to assist authorities to carry out major essential works to designated estates, the installation of central heating may form part of the works undertaken. The remedial works programme at Aisling Park, Dundalk and St. Finians Park, Drogheda included the installation of central heating. A total of some £1.4 million – 1.78 million – has been allocated to date in respect of these projects. Local authorities may also seek my Department's approval to the use of their internal capital receipts which are surplus to the requirements of their local authority housing programme and remedial works scheme, to fund improvement works such as the provision of central heating to their dwellings.

Drogheda Corporation recently sought funding from my Department to enable them to provide central heating in 180 of their rented dwellings. They have been informed of the availability of the mechanisms outlined above, and that apart from these there is no specific grant funding available to my Department to fund the installation of central heating in local authority rented dwellings.