Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 3

Written Answers. - Housing Grants.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

334 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the number of persons currently awaiting payment of the first-time buyer's grant; the numbers on a county basis; the steps being taken to expedite the processing of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28194/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)

The information requested is set out in the following table:

County	Applications for grant paymentcurrently being processed.
Carlow	16
Cavan	15
Clare	43
Cork	1,019
Donegal	42
Dublin	1,361
Galway	169
Kerry	29
Kildare	98
Kilkenny	46
Laois	43
Leitrim	41
Limerick	112
Longford	6
Louth	42
Mayo	155
Meath	173
Monaghan	10
Offaly	16
Roscommon	27
Sligo	42
Tipperary	76
Waterford	50
Westmeath	52
Wexford	55
Wicklow	125
Total	3,863

Every effort is made to ensure that no undue delays arise in the processing of applications, with the services of five inspectors who had retired being retained to undertake inspections and inspectors being deployed between areas in response to fluctuating workloads.