Seán Crowe
Question:253 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason for the delay in departmental funding for the proposed refurbishment programme for 501 homes in Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24. [14955/02]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.
A request for assistance under my Department's remedial works scheme was submitted by South Dublin County Council in November 2001. The local authority was requested, in December 2001, to forward further information or documentation to enable its request to be considered. This information is still awaited.
Seán Crowe
Question:254 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of local authority houses without a central heating system; and the measures, including funding or grants he proposes to tackle this hardship for sections of society. [14956/02]
It is estimated that in the region of 45,000 existing local authority rented dwellings lack a central heating system. Since 1994, my Department has required that central heating be provided during construction in new local authority dwellings and included in the overall cost of the schemes.
With regard to older existing local authority rented dwellings the management, maintenance and improvement of such dwellings, including the installation of central heating, is the responsibility of local authorities to be defrayed from their own resources. However, where capital funding is being provided under my Department's remedial works or area regeneration schemes the provision of central heating may form part of the work being funded.
Local authorities may also seek on a case by case basis, approval to the use of internal capital receipts, which are in excess of the requirements of their programmes for the provision of local authority houses and the remedial works scheme, for improvement works such as the provision of central heating to their dwellings.
Apart from that, there is no specific mechanism available from my Department to fund the installation of central heating in local authority dwellings.