asked the Minister for the Environment the number of applicants that were refused the £3,000 mortgage subsidy during the period 23 July 1981 to 25 March 1982, because of the Government decision to suspend payments to single people; the cost of such a decision if his Department were to make retrospective payments to those applicants now; and if he will acknowledge that in cases of real hardship such as that of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford the matter merits reconsideration.
Written Answers. - Grant and Mortgage Subsidy Payments.
557.
As records of rejected applications are not segregated on the basis of the grounds for rejection, the information requested by the Deputy, both in relation to the number of cases rejected for the reasons given and the cost of making retrospective payments in these cases, is not readily available in my Department.
The payment of grant and subsidy in particular cases is subject to the conditions applying at the time. It is a matter for individual applicants to satisfy themselves that their applications are in accordance with those conditions. In the case referred to by the Deputy the position is that the applicant was single and signed the contract to purchase a house, executed the deed of mortgage and submitted an application form during the period (23 July 1981 to 25 March 1982) when the subsidy was restricted to married persons, persons about to marry and one parent families. In the circumstances there are no grounds for altering the decision already conveyed in the case.
558.
asked the Minister for the Environment when a house improvement grant which was approved eight weeks ago will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
This grant has been paid.