asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that some manufacturers of prefabricated houses cannot afford the expense of obtaining a certificate of approval from the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards and that consequently purchasers of these homes are being denied local government and local authority house grants and rates remission; and if he will take steps to rectify this position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Certificates of Approval.
9.
I am not so aware. Approval by my Department of prefabricated system built housing is not conditional on the submission of certificates from the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards, but is based on documentation which applicants are asked to submit, including drawings, specifications and relevant calculations. In exceptional cases applicants are requested to obtain a report from the institute on particular aspects of their proposals.
A certain firm informed me that they had been asked by the Department of Local Government to submit details of their prefabricated houses to the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards and that as they felt they were a small company and could not afford the expense involved in this work they did not do that. Therefore, the person I was interested in who had purchased the house was denied the concessions by way of rates remission and local government grant because the Department would not approve the house for grant purposes.
Did Deputy Molloy say "details of the house"? Certain details of the house may have been asked to be submitted to the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards, but not the whole house. It is only if there is a doubt in the minds of Department officials that the firm may be requested to get certain details approved, and it is usually done for a very small fee.
This company felt the cost would be excessive as they were small. They were selling the houses and the persons who were purchasing them were being denied grants. Could the Minister look into this again?
Would the Deputy give me any further particulars he may have. The particulars Deputy Molloy has given me do not appear to be correct.
The Minister knows I have been in touch with the Department about this?
Yes, but the information I have got is that it is not correct to say that they have been asked to supply this. If Deputy Molloy can give me further information. I shall be glad to have the matter investigated.