asked the Minister for the Environment if it is his intention to introduce minimum standards of insulation in all new houses to be constructed in the future; and if he will introduce a scheme of grant aiding for insulation in existing dwellings.

15.

asked the Minister for the Environment the booklets, brochures and/or other information on home insulation that are available from his Department.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together.

On a point of order, as the person who asked the questions, I can see no reason for their being taken together, although I know the Minister has the right to do so. They are totally separate questions.

The Chair has no authority to prevent the Minister from so doing.

Minimum standards of thermal insulation apply to local authority dwellings commenced after 1 July 1976. These standards are set out in a statement issued by the Government Information Service on 7 August 1975. The Draft Building Regulations, published in November 1976, contain detailed and comprehensive provisions in relation to thermal insulation which when the regulations are made will apply to new dwellings. In the meantime a new outline specification for private grant-type houses is being prepared in the Department and will be published in the near future. It will contain provisions in relation to thermal insulation.

The Department's involvement in relation to thermal insulation has so far been directed at efforts to secure minimum standards of thermal insulation at the construction stage of new dwellings. The technical standards already published are therefore directed at builders rather than home-owners who wish to improve thermal insulation in their own houses. Booklets and brochures in relation to improving home insulation have not yet been published by the Department as there is a very plentiful supply of such booklets, brochures and other information available from sources in the private sector and from other bodies, for example, the Electricity Supply Board, An Foras Forbartha and manufacturers and retailers of thermal insulation materials and systems. It is not proposed at present to introduce a special scheme of grants for insulation in existing dwellings.

Might I ask the Minister a number of questions arising out of his reply? First of all, could he explain why it is that there are separate regulations under which there are minimum standards of insulation in local authority houses but not in the private sector?

I said in my reply that the Department's involvement in relation to thermal insulation has so far been directed at efforts to secure minimum standards of thermal insulation at the construction stage of new dwellings where grant-aided houses are concerned.

Is it not a fact that the Minister's Department differentiates between the local authority and private sectors with regard to the minimum standard of insulation?

A new outline specification for private grant-type houses is in preparation at present.

In other words, it is akin to the previous question, that the matter is under review. What I am trying to ascertain is why the position is as it is now.

Is the Deputy asking why is it now under review?

Why is there a difference between the standards of his Department as between the local authority and private sectors?

Whatever is the difference in existence now, it has been there for a number of years. In the short time I have been in the Department I have decided to review it.

Might I ask the Minister further if that indication of review intimates that he is clearly dissatisfied with the position and that he intends to introduce minimum standards in the private sector?

As I have already said in my answer, with regard to private grant-type houses a new outline specification is being prepared in the Department and will be published in the near future.

Two final questions : is the Minister aware that the nine-inch cavity block used in construction at present, in the context of insulation, is banned in Britain and is most unsatisfactory from the point of view of house-building here?

That is a separate question surely.

It has to do with insulation. But if the Minister is afraid or unwilling to answer it, I will have to ask a separate question.

If the Deputy puts down a question about nine-inch blocks I will willingly answer it.

I asked the Minister about the standard of insulation in home-building; that is basic to it.

If the Deputy wants me to answer a question on nine-inch blocks he should put down a question and I will answer it.

All right, I will leave that and will put down a question. Finally, is the Minister saying that his Department do not have as much as one leaflet or brochure guiding people on how they should make a rational decision about the insulation of their homes, that the Department are leaving the whole matter to private commercial enterprise? Is that the position at present?

Does the Deputy want me to repeat what I said?

I want the Minister to tell me the facts.

I have already answered the question. There are leaflets and brochures available——

But the Department of the Environment do not publish any of them.