asked the Minister for the Environment if he will increase the new house grant to £5,000 in keeping with the increase in building costs.

15.

asked the Minister for the Environment if it is proposed to alter the regulations governing the qualification for the £1,000 new house grant and in view of increased building costs if he will bring the grant more into line with present-day values.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together. I have no proposals at present under consideration to alter the amount of the £1,000 new house grant or the conditions governing eligibility for the grant.

Does the Minister consider it realistic to allow a grant of £1,000—which was generally accepted to be one of the most major inflationary elements in house prices—to stand indefinitely in view of the enormous increases in house prices that have occurred in the last two years? Secondly, could the Minister outline for us what system there is of checking that people get only one such grant, as I have had reports of somebody getting three such grants?

(Cavan-Monaghan): They are getting it very hard to get one down my way.

I presume the person in question did so by falsifying information, but I am just wondering what sort of monitoring system obtains when that can happen?

As the Deputy knows, they are all inspected. If such has occurred, I would be very happy if the Deputy would furnish me with some details, because there has to be a dishonest element in that case.

If I can get the details I will furnish them to the Minister. Will the Minister answer the first part of the question?

When the £1,000 grant was introduced I also undertook to have it reviewed at reasonable intervals. With regard to the housing building cost index, in July 1977 it was 147.6 and 1 October 1979 it stood at 199.7.

That is an increase of nearly 50 per cent.

That is the building cost index.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister agree that according to the quarterly bulletin issued by his Department the cost of buying a house on an estate has increased by at least £7,000 since the £1,000 grant was introduced?

The cost of buying a house on an estate varies from area to area, as the Deputy is aware.

(Cavan-Monaghan): But taking the average——

Also I would say that a certain steadying-up influence has been exerted since the introduction of the CRV under the recent Housing Act, from all the information available to me.

And the total lack of bridging finance.

The savings banks are providing bridging finance.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister not agree that, according to the latest official bulletin issued by his Department—as at that date—a house was costing, on average, £7,000 more than when the £1,000 grant was introduced?

As I have said, it will be kept under examination and review.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Does the Minister disagree with the proposition I put to him?

I agree that house prices have escalated. That is undeniable. The number of applicants for the £1,000 grant is also growing. The scheme is fairly popular, even in its present state.

(Cavan-Monaghan): It is better than nothing but is only about one-seventh of its value when first introduced.

The cost index says differently.

Did I understand the Minister to say that all applicants and applications for new house grants have been inspected?

That is right, and they must be occupied by the applicants before payment.

Has the authenticity of the applicants' submissions been checked out?

Yes.

16.

asked the Minister for the Environment the number of grants in the housing sector this year as compared to last year and if he is satisfied with the position.

In the first ten months of this year expenditure on housing grants was 55 per cent up on the corresponding period last year. In that period a total of 9,775 new house grants and 23,158 house improvement grants, excluding special solid fuel grants, were finally paid compared to 10,631 and 14,121 respectively, in the first ten months of 1978. Figures are not yet available for the month of November, but I expect that a further 900 new house and 4,000 improvement grants will have been paid during the month compared to 1,166 and 3,067 in November, 1978. To date this year some 53,000 applications have been received, compared with 41,500 last year and it is obvious from this that grant-aided work is continuing at a highly satisfactory level. It is an unfortunate consequence of the postal dispute that the number of grants paid this year will be less than had been anticipated at the beginning of the year.

17.

asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the undue delays in the processing and payment of housing grants and the proposals, if any, to remedy this situation.

There are some delays in processing and paying housing grants due to the huge volume of applications being received. Efforts are being made to reduce these delays by indoor and outdoor overtime and increasing the existing administrative and technical staff. I am hopeful that these measures will bring about a gradual improvement in the situation.

(Cavan-Monaghan): In keeping with the Minister's general policy would he consider dispensing with inspections as he did with the driving test, and that might speed up the payment of the grants?

No.

(Cavan-Monaghan): What is the longest delay between the notification that a house is finished and the inspection, because that is where the delay is taking place?

That is a separate question.

If the Deputy puts down a question I will answer it. I have recruited more staff for inspections and I hope to relieve whatever delays there are as quickly as possible.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Does the Minister consider that the delays are unreasonable?

The delays are not always on the side of the Department. When further information is required some applicants are very slow to furnish it.

In recruiting extra staff to deal with the backlog which arose as a result of the postal strike did the Minister have any difficulties with the Department of the Public Service?

No. Naturally the Department of the Public Service would sanction the appointment of permanent staff but we can recruit temporary staff to relieve the situation.

Am I right in assuming therefore that the Minister's colleague, Deputy Haughey, could have recourse to the same measure to alleviate the enormous shortfall in staff at the Department of Social Welfare?

That is a separate question. Question No. 18.

Fortunately, I do not have to expect a social welfare payment from the Minister, Deputy Haughey.