Joan Collins
Question:155. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has ring-fenced funding for the conservation grant; and the amount of same. [12017/16]
View answerWednesday, 25 May 2016
Questions (155, 156)
Joan Collins
Question:156. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount his Department allocated out of its budget for the conservation grant relating to Irish Water bills; the number of applications made and grants paid; and the total amount paid in 2015. [12018/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together.
The Department of Social Protection, which administers the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of my Department, has made grant payments totalling €88,991,800 in respect of the 2015 Water Conservation Grant. A small number of residual payments continue to be made to householders who have an entitlement to the 2015 Water Conservation Grant.
On the basis of the administration of the 2015 grant scheme, a figure of €110 million was provided for the grant scheme in the 2016 Revised Estimates for Public Services.
Under the confidence and supply arrangement agreed in the context of facilitating a minority government, the Government is committed to introducing and supporting legislation in the Oireachtas, within six weeks of its appointment, to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months from the end of the current bill cycle. This is to allow for the Oireachtas to decide on the enduring funding model for Irish Water. Under this arrangement, the Water Conservation Grant will be suspended for 2016.