Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - Thatching Grants.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

396 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the grants that are available to those people who either wish to restore thatched cottages or alter modern roofs to thatched roofs; the resources made available to county councils to encourage this old tradition of thatching; if his Department has carried out any survey to identify the numbers of thatched cottages remaining in Ireland and, in particular, in Dublin; if he will discus with the Department of Finance the possibility of a tax allowance for any person who maintains a property in traditional thatched mode; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12993/00]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

The scheme of thatching grants operated by my Department was introduced to assist in the renewal and repair of traditional thatched roofs. Last year I introduced significant improvements to the grant levels under the scheme. The basic maximum grant was increased from £2,400 to £3,000 and from £3,600 to £4,500 for houses on specified offshore islands. Grants are available to meet two thirds of the approved cost of works, subject to the maximum limits.

I also introduced a new measure to assist lower income households, for whom the cost of maintaining a thatched roof imposes a particular burden. Householders with medical cards are eligible for thatching grants up to a maximum of £5,000 or £6,500 in the case of the specified offshore islands. In addition, in such cases the grant may cover up to 80% of the approved cost of the works subject to the maximum grant limits.

There is no accurate data currently available to my Department regarding the number of thatched houses in Ireland or in Dublin. I currently have no proposals to further amend the terms and conditions of the scheme of thatching grants or to introduce further assistance for the repair and renewal of thatched roofs.