asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of dissatisfaction at delays on the part of his Department in connection with the allocation and payment of new house grants; and what steps he proposes to take to improve the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Grants.
57.
There has been no undue delay generally in the allocation and payment of new house grants by my Department. However, there has been some increase in the time taken to pay in individual cases because of the big rise in the number of grants paid in the current financial year. Over 9,700 new house grants will be finally paid this year, as compared with 8,753 in 1970-71 which, up to then, was an all-time record. In the normal course, delays also occur where work is not completed in accordance with grant requirements or an applicant otherwise fails to comply with conditions governing the payment of grants.
With a view to improving the quality of the service provided, I secured the agreement of the Minister for Finance to the commissioning of a firm of consultants to advise on the introduction of management by objectives in the housing grants section of my Department. The exercise commenced in April, 1971, and is proceeding with the aid of the consultants and of officers from the two Departments.
Proposals to improve the efficiency of the section are being developed. It is intended, for example, to change the existing procedure for dealing with the approval and payment of most types of grant. Administrative checks on grant allocations and payments will be reduced to the minimum. These changes are expected to yield a worthwhile reduction in the cost of administration and, at the same time, to enable grants to be approved and paid more quickly.
In addition, four extra inspectors were recently assigned to the section to cope with the increased work load.