Vol. 463 No. 3
204 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment whether a person who has previously been married but now formally separated and who previously bought a second hand house can apply for the £3,000 new house grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6529/96]
The conditions governing the new house grant scheme normally preclude payment of a grant where a person, or the spouse of such person, had previously purchased or built, individually or with each other, another house for his/her own occupation. However, a grant may be allowed where: (a) the marriage of the person has been dissolved or annulled by court order, or the person is separated under a court order or a deed of separation; and (b) the person and any dependants are in need of housing; and (c) refusal to pay a grant would cause undue hardship.
Each such application is considered on its merits.
