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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Oct 2003

Vol. 573 No. 1

Written Answers. - Housing Grants.

Ned O'Keeffe

Ceist:

265 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if documentation in relation to a thatched roof grant application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork was received by his Department; if the application is in order; and when the inspection will take place. [24520/03]

An inspection with a view to payment of the grant, if in order, will be carried out as soon as possible.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

266 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government when he intends to change the regulations concerning the abolition of the first-time buyer's grant to take account of hardship cases and deliver on his promise made in September 2003; the total number of cases of first-time buyers who had obtained pre-approval for the relevant grant but cannot meet the 13 November 2003 deadline due to the fact that their house has not been built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24546/03]

The termination of the new house grant scheme was a difficult decision which the Government was required to take in order to ensure a sustainable match between Government resources and expenditure. One of the stipulations which was clearly outlined to applicants in correspondence and through advertisements in the media was that to receive the grant, people must have occupied their new homes by 13 November 2003. This deadline was adopted to achieve closure of the scheme, to allow reprioritisation of this budget provision to other housing and social programmes and to prevent speculative applications on houses that may not be built for years to come.

A total of 25,329 new house grant applications were received prior to the closing date of 4 December 2002. Of these, 13,827 applications were received between 14 November and 4 December 2002, which was more than the total number of applications received in 2001. At this point, it is difficult to quantify the potential number of applicants whose houses will not be built on time and will thereby be affected by the 13 November deadline, as there are still more than three weeks remaining for individuals who have received provisional approval to return their applications for payment. There are also queries outstanding on a significant number of grant applications, for which my Department is awaiting replies. Some of these applications may prove to be invalid.
I am aware that difficulties are being faced by some housing grant applicants in meeting the deadline of completing and occupying their new homes. My Department is in the final stages of consideration of how the difficulties being faced by some applicants might be addressed. It is the firm intention of my Department to address this issue in a manner that reflects the need to ensure fair treatment for the individuals involved but also the need to achieve closure of the scheme. This consideration is being undertaken as a matter of urgency as I wish to provide clarification as quickly as possible for those people for whom compliance with the deadline is presenting problems.
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