Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 November 2004
187 Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the support available towards the cost of the installation of heating in the homes of local authority tenants and pensioners in view of the fact that such costs may now include special ESB network service charges of €800 for electricity connection. [29511/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Since 1994 my Department has required that central heating be provided in all new local authority dwellings and included in the overall cost of schemes. Where capital funding is provided under regeneration and remedial programmes operated by my Department for upgrading of local authority dwellings, the provision of central heating may form part of the work undertaken. In addition, some authorities have been granted approval, on foot of specific proposals, to the use of their internal capital receipts to provide central heating in particular cases.
In July of this year, my Department introduced a special programme for the installation of central heating in existing local authority rented dwellings. A sum of €12 million has been provided by my Department for the programme in 2004. There is no contribution sought from the tenant in respect of installations under the central heating programme. Similarly, in relation to new local authority housing, any ESB connection charges would be part of the overall cost of the house and would not fall to be paid by the individual tenant.
