asked the Minister for Local Government if he will take steps to amend existing legislation to provide that the upper income limit for supplementary housing grants will not include overtime or bonuses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Grants.
22.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 14 and 15 of the 2nd May, 1968, the terms of which I have brought to the attention of all housing authorities. I do not propose to amend the existing legislation in the way suggested by the Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that many people at present, in an attempt to purchase their own houses, must work overtime and must gain bonuses to enable them to do so but that, in attempting to do this, their incomes go over the £1,200 per year? This is another case in which the income level must be raised if people are to benefit.
I have made it clear to the housing authorities that cases of exceptional earnings of overtime and for particular periods should be interpreted liberally. I am not prepared to agree that where overtime constitutes a normal part of the income——
Would the Minister agree that in order to purchase a house a person would need to be earning more than £1,200 per year?
No, the facts prove that the contrary is the case and that the majority of people obtaining loans under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act are earning incomes of considerably less than £1,200 per year.
(Interruptions.)
An exceptional amount of overtime worked in one particular period can be ignored and housing authorities have been so advised.
Can the Minister give the reference of the letter containing that advise?
It is paragraph 41 of circular letter H5/67. Circular H6/68 of 17th May, 1968, brings to the attention of housing authorities the terms of the reply to a Parliamentary question of 2nd May, 1968, and encloses this addition to paragraph 41 of circular letter H5/67.
Is the Minister aware that quite a number of people have already been refused these grants because of exceptional overtime to make up for lost time as a result of the fitters' strike?
I think these cases should be reviewed by the housing authorities concerned.
Is it not true that people over £1,200 are not entitled to grants under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts.
To supplementary housing grants.
Yes. Therefore, 100 per cent of those who get the grant must be under £1,200.
Yes, but I was replying that time to a supplementary question from Deputy O'Leary which suggested that in order to embark on the purchase of a house a person would need to have an income of over £1,200 a year, and I was referring to the number of people who avail of SDA loans the majority of whom have incomes of quite a substantial amount less than £1,200.
A decreasing number are getting these grants every year.
No, that is not so. There is an increasing number getting them every year.