asked the Minister for Local Government the reason for the delay in the payment of housing grants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Grants Payments.
46.
I am not aware of any general delay in the payment of housing grants. If the Deputy informs me of any specific cases, I will have them investigated.
Is the Minister not aware that some applications for housing grants have been with the Department's inspectors for two months?
Yes, I am. However, two months is not an unusual length of time in view of the fact that when my predecessor was in office it was usually six or eight months.
It was six weeks.
The Deputy need not tell me anything about that—I know all about it.
Is it not a fact that there were instructions from his Department recently to inspectors to take it easy in sending in their reports with regard to grant applications?
No. The Deputy who has made that statement is aware that is not the case because my correspondence from him is quite considerable. He gets a reply by return and, in fact, he has complimented me on the promptness of the replies. In view of that, he has a hard neck to make these allegations in the House.
It is only when I address correspondence personally to the Minister, not to the Department.
Can the Minister state why files are with the inspectors for up to two months?
The only explanation I can give is that an inspector comes into the Department and takes out a certain number of files. There may be a number of reasons why he is unable to inspect a house when he calls. Normally the files should come back within a week or a fortnight, but there are cases where they have been out for as long as two months. I am also aware it was not unusual to have them out for very much longer. I have taken steps to ensure that they come in more quickly. It is rather a pity that Opposition Deputies do not say publicly what they say to me in private.
I am calling Question No. 47.