asked the Minister for Local Government if he will raise the income limit for housing loans from local authorities.
39.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Loans Income Limit.
38.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will consider increasing the income limit for SDA loans.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together.
The income limit of £1,200 per annum applicable to local authority house-purchase loans was last increased in June, 1965, and is kept under constant review in the light of the level of incomes generally.
I might add that local authorities may advance loans without reference to the income limit to tenants of local authority houses who surrender their tenancies on getting a loan and to other persons whose loans are financed from sources other than the Local Loans Fund.
In view of the increased cost of building materials, is it not time the Minister looked into the question of increased grants generally for housing?
The question relates to loans from local authorities.
It is the same thing to the poor man who applies.
You do not have to pay back a grant.
What is the meaning of the reference in the last phrase of the answer to "persons whose loans are financed from sources other than the Local Loans Fund"? If the house purchase is financed from sources other than the Local Loans Fund, what is the purpose of seeking a Small Dwellings Act loan?
The Minister would not have to refer to that if he knew his job.
It could be done through finance from internal capital receipts by the local authority or borrowing from other sources. In some cases the local authority have borrowed from other sources and they also finance loans from other capital receipts.
If they can finance the loan from internal capital receipts without applying to the Central Fund for a capital advance, the income limitation does not apply?
That is right.
So any man can go with £4,000 or £5,000 and get an SDA loan from a local authority if they had funds they did not get from the Local Loans Fund?
He can but he will not. The income limit is not statutorily applicable in that case but I do not think the local authority would give the loan to someone with that income.
The income limit is applicable to the Small Dwelling Act loan financed by the Local Loans Fund?
The income limit does not apply either to someone surrendering a local authority house.