asked the Minister for the Environment if he will extend the grant for electrical rewiring at present available to people in corporation houses, to people of low income, unemployed, widowed or physically incapacitated who live in private houses, if not, if he will make some provision for people who wish to have only electrical rewiring carried out.

I have no intention at present of extending the scope of eligibility for the grant for electrical rewiring in Dublin Corporation vested houses. However, the cost of electrical rewiring as part of a scheme of improvement works in a house can be included in calculating the amount of the grant, where the cost of the electrical work does not exceed 50 per cent of the total cost of the improvement scheme.

I thank the Minister for his reply but does he not agree that the final sentence of his reply is the nub of the question? If somebody has to rewire his house to meet the requirements of the ESB, who are a State agency, he may not be in a financial position to do so. A person is excluded from getting a grant unless other work is undertaken. Having regard to the hardship involved and to the fact that sometimes the ESB refuse to continue supply, would the Minister review the position in relation to certain cases?

Is the Deputy referring to a separate grant for wiring?

The final sentence of the Minister's reply states that rewiring is accommodated if it does not exceed 50 per cent of the cost. If that constraint is removed in cases of need, the Minister would be going a long way towards meeting the request and the actual cost of extending the grant would be negligible.

As the Deputy said, grants are not paid separately for rewiring.

It would not cost very much and would make life easier for many people. The Minister should examine the matter.

I will have the matter examined.