Vol. 561 No. 1
484 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the public notification which was given with regard to the closing date for the first-time buyer's grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3206/03]
501 Mr. McHugh asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether the procedures for cessation of the first-time buyer's grant, as published by his Department, do not have a closing date for receipt of applications; his views on whether the use of the word 'should' does not imply finality; his further views on whether 'shall' should be used and that to eliminate confusion, the procedures shall clearly state, 'the closing date for receipt of applications'; if applications received in his Department after 4 December 2002 will be accepted as being valid applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3623/03]
504 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will extend the new house grant termination date from 4 December 2002 to 28 February 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3699/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 484, 501 and 504 together.
The termination of the new house grant scheme, which was announced on 14 November 2002, arose from the necessity, in the context of the 2003 Estimates, for the Government to ensure a sustainable match between expenditure and resources, and to concentrate housing programmes on areas of greatest impact and social need.
Regulations setting out the circumstances on which new house grants would be paid after 14 November 2002 came into force on the day of the announcement. My Department published an advertisement in the national press on 15 November 2002 setting out the conditions for new house grant payment as stipulated in the statutory regulations. A further reminder was published in the press on Friday 29 November 2002. Both press advertisements clearly stated that the closing date for receipt of applications was 4 December 2002. This information was also available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie.
As applications received after 4 December 2002 did not respect the well publicised deadline they cannot be admitted.
It is not proposed to review the basis on which the scheme was terminated or to reintroduce the grant.
485 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford can be offered the first-time buyer's grant as they were not aware that the closing date was so soon after the announcement of the abolition of the grant, but has signed contracts before this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3207/03]
Applications under the new house grant scheme, which was terminated as and from 14 November 2002, were required to be received in my Department on or before 4 December 2002. The application in this case was received subsequent to that date and a new house grant cannot be allowed. This statutory condition, which was published in the main daily newspapers on 15 November and again on 29 November, cannot be set aside in any particular case.
