andMr. Lyons asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the serious delay in the payment of supplementary housing grants in Mayo; and what steps he proposes to take to speed up payment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Housing Grants.
33.
I am aware that there are certain delays in the payment of supplementary housing grants by Mayo County Council. The administration of their grants is, however, by law a matter for the council.
So far as I am concerned, my Department on 31st March, 1967, notified the council of a capital allocation of £100,000 for 1967-68 for supplementary housing grants and house-purchase and reconstruction loans, based largely on an estimate furnished by the council.
An application was received from the council on 3rd May, 1967, for approval to a loan of this amount from the Local Loans Fund for the payment of supplementary housing grants. This application is being processed, and a decision on it will be issued as soon as possible. The council are aware that I am prepared to consider sympathetically any proposal from them for approval to obtaining temporary capital overdraft accommodation to finance the payment of grants, pending a decision on the loan application.
Does that imply that there is no money in the Local Loans Fund to finance these supplementary housing grants?
I only got the application on 3rd May, 1967. This is now being processed and will be dealt with as soon as possible.
It seems that the Minister will have to make a lot of decisions in the near future because that is what we are given to understand from most of his answers.
I cannot help it if Mayo County Council were late in submitting their proposals.