John Deasy
Question:219 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason for the delay in payment of a first time buyer's grant for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and when payment will issue. [14799/03]
Written Answers. - Housing Grants.
Provisional approval to a grant has issued in this case. On receipt of a claim for payment and notification that the house is complete and occupied, an inspection with a view to payment of the grant, if in order, will be carried out as soon as possible.
Richard Bruton
Question:220 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, in the context of the Government's decision to abolish the first time buyer's grant, he will consider the full payment of this grant to applicants who would have met all of the conditions of the scheme by the specific dates outlined by his Department but were late in applying by the 4 December 2002 deadline due to not being aware through public advertisement of this deadline; the number of persons who are in this category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14805/03]
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. It is not proposed to review the basis on which the scheme was terminated or to reintroduce the grant.
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 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.
Some 13,827 new house grant applications were received in the housing grants section of my Department in the three week period between 15 November 2002 and 4 December 2003. Some 337 applications have been received since the closing date for receipt of applications. As these applications do not respect the well publicised deadline, they cannot be admitted and it would not be appropriate to investigate their details further.