asked the Minister for the Environment the number of engineers who inspect new houses for the purpose of new house grant applications and houses for the purpose of house improvement grant applications in County Galway; the county in which the engineers live; and the approximate time it takes for an inspection to be carried out from the date of application.
Written Answers. - County Galway House Inspections.
780.
Mr. Fahey
At present, there are six inspectors engaged in the inspection of houses for the purposes of housing grants in the area comprising Counties Galway and Tipperary. Two of these are permanently headquartered in the Department's Galway office and the others are strategically headquartered to meet the needs of the area and to allow for the necessary degree of mobility within the inspectorate. Provided inspectors comply with the headquartering arrangements in force, the location of their residence is entirely a matter for themselves and it would not be appropriate for me to give any details concerning the residence of any inspector. It is estimated that the average time lapse between the receipt of an application and the carrying out of a first inspection is less than six weeks.