Vol. 528 No. 1
296 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make funds available through the local authority for the provision of central heating to the residents of a housing estate (details supplied) in County Wexford or allow the local authority to provide same from their own resources. [29614/00]
The management, maintenance and improvement of their rented dwellings, including the installation of central heating, is the responsibility of local authorities to be defrayed from their own revenue resources. The approval of my Department to the use of such funds is not required. Where capital funding is provided under the remedial works scheme to assist authorities to carry out major essential works to designated housing estates the installation of central heating may form part of the works undertaken. Local authorities may, if they so wish, on a case by case basis, seek approval to the use of their internal capital receipts which are in excess of the requirements of their programmes for the provision of local authority houses and the remedial works scheme for improvement works such as the provision of central heating to their dwellings. Apart from the foregoing, there are no funds available from my Department for this purpose.
In response to their request for funding for the provision of central heating in houses in Croke Avenue, Wexford Corporation were informed, in January 2000, that the Department would be prepared to consider a proposal from them to use internal capital receipts for this purpose. No such proposal has been received in the Department.
