asked the Minister for the Environment if in view of the oil crisis householders who wish to change from oil-fired central heating systems to solid fuel systems, will be entitled to grant assistance under a house improvement scheme.

A grant of up to £600 is available from my Department for the installation of a fireplace, stove or other solid fuel burning appliance in a house (including a local authority house) which has not got one. In determining the amount of the grant, the cost of installing a back boiler is taken into consideration. I do not propose to introduce any further measures at present.

Is the Minister aware that many people purchased houses with oil-fired central heating in recent years and, in view of the rapid increase in the price of domestic gas oil, it has now become impossible for people to continue using central heating on an oil-fired basis? May I take it from the Minister's reply that the cost of converting oil-fired central heating systems to solid fuel systems is grant-aided?

That is correct. The necessary boiler is grant-aided in such cases. Of course if one has existing central heating, apart from the boiler, the grant does not aid the installation of the radiator equipment or anything like that.

The cost of conversion to a solid fuel system is grant-aided?

That is correct and the statutory limitation with regard to the ten-year period does not apply in these cases.

In respect of applications for grants for house improvements can I take it that all applicants under the new scheme will be considered irrespective of the time period of the grants under the old system?

That is correct. The limit does not apply.

The time scale has finished?

Yes, where these are concerned.

What about the other house improvements?

No statutory limit will apply where this type of grant is concerned.

What about other house improvements?

At present it is a ten-year limit.

It was 15.

Be it ten or 15, it will not apply where this type of grant is concerned.

It applies in the case of other house improvements?

Apart from these, yes.

It does not apply in relation to conversion to solid fuel?

That is correct.

Houses less than ten years old qualify for this grant but not the other ones. Is that correct?

It applies to houses that want to convert to solid fuel central heating.

Regardless of the age of those houses?

Regardless of the age or when they got a previous grant.

(Cavan-Monaghan): I understand the Minister to say that the grant is available for the purposes of converting from oil to solid fuel. Is that correct?

Yes.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Without any regard to the age of the house or when a previous grant was paid?

That is correct.