Vol. 397 No. 10
19 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment if he will consider changing the regulation whereby residents in urban council areas are precluded from qualifying for the essential repair grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I have no proposals at present to extend the essential repairs grants scheme to urban council areas.
Would the Minister not agree that there seems to be an element of discrimination against dwellers in urban areas in view of the fact that somebody living outside the perimeter of the urban area can get £1,000 to carry out essential repairs, and this is particularly important in the absence of a house improvement grant scheme? Somebody who, by an accident of birth, happens to be living inside the urban area of Westport, Castlebar or Ballina cannot receive this benefit despite the fact that their house might be in an equal state of dilapidation.
Since 1963 it has been confined by statutory provision to houses in county health districts, that is, excluding city and urban county areas. The Deputy is quite right; that has been the position since 1963.
I would ask the Minister to look sympathetically at this. He is aware that it is causing a certain feeling of disquiet. It does not make any sense.
