asked the Minister for Local Government why a supplementary new house grant was not paid to a person in County Donegal (details supplied).

The making of a supplementary grant under section 26 of the Housing Act, 1966, is a matter for the local authority and not one in which I can intervene. In the case raised I understand that despite numerous requests the applicant has failed to submit to the local authority a certificate of his earnings to enable them to determine if he is eligible for a grant.

May I add that, in an effort to be of assistance, Deputy Cunningham made representations to the council in September, 1973, and made an appointment with the county manager to discuss the application but did not find it possible to keep the appointment.

The Minister is being too smart. That is too smart for words. How does he know the circumstances?

I do not know them.

That shows the mean low standards he is applying.

I want to ask one question. Does the Minister think the bridging loan is being honoured by the Cork County Council or that it is not?

That is a different matter.

Is the Minister aware that in this case, as in many other cases of people who work in Northern Ireland and apply here, certificates of income are not being accepted in the Donegal County Council? Having written a large number of letters to the manager and to other officials about this I got no satisfaction. Would the Minister ensure that there will not be a deadlock——

Will the Deputy please be brief?

——as between the applicant and the county council with nobody doing anything?

The county council inform me that the man has been requested on numerous occasions to submit a certificate of earnings in support of his application. He has failed to do this.

No.

The county council say he has failed to do it and I must accept the information which they give me.

Will the Minister accept my information that he did submit it?

Take it up with the county council.

The Minister is not prepared to do it.