Vol. 453 No. 8
40 Dr. McDaid asked the Minister for the Environment if he will increase the level of payment under the essential repairs grant scheme; and if he will review the terms of the scheme to make it more flexible in meeting the needs of those to wish to repair their homes. [6337/95]
Under the essential repairs grants scheme, a local authority may pay a grant up to the full approved cost of the repairs but subject to a maximum which is adjusted in line with the house building cost index; the maximum currently stands at £5,049. An authority may recoup half of their expenditure on such grants from my Department, up to a limit of £900 in any one case. This limit was increased from £600 in respect of works commenced on or after 1 March 1993. There are, at present, no proposals to further increase it.
