asked the Minister for the Environment the average delay between application for a housing grant and the issuing of payment.

In view of the huge number of applications on hands in my Department the different types of grants and the many administrative and technical stages that arise in processing them, it is not practicable to calculate the average period between receipt of an application and payment of a grant.

27.

andMr. Donnellan asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the delay in dealing with applications for new housing grants, home improvement grants and heating grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

28.

asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the recent delay in arranging final inspection in the case of applications for (i) new house, (ii) improvement and (iii) home heating grants with consequent delay in the issue of approval and payment.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together.

The unprecedented number of applications for house improvement and solid fuel grants received subsequent to the announcement on 21 January 1980 of the termination of these grants created an abnormal work-load in addition to the very large number of new house, solid fuel and house improvement applications already being processed at that time. The acknowledgement, recording, indexing and filing of these new applications resulted in delays in the processing of all applications, including the making of payments.

Payments of grants are made after inspection has established that work has been satisfactorily completed and payment is in order. Every effort is being made to speed up inspections but in view of the number of applications on hands, some delay in the inspection of work and payment of grants is unavoidable.

We accept there is bound to be a certain amount of delay but we were anxious to know the extent of the delay and the consequent stress on many applicants who were forced to go to the banks for bridging loans at very high interest rates. Will the Minister undertake to ensure that these grants will be paid forthwith, or is it the position that there is no money in the Department to pay them?

Two hundred inspections take place every week. There is plenty of money in my Department to pay these grants—there is no problem there.

Were you not to give some money to Deputy Wilson yesterday?

Deputy Wilson, the Minister for Education, is well able to look after himself.

Is there an obligation on the inspectors to return a file within a specific length of time?

I have asked the inspectors to return them as soon as possible. There should not be any undue delays.

That is not very satisfactory. Is the Minister aware that when Deputies or public representatives make inquiries about grants they are told by the Department that the file in question is with the inspector and in many instances the file seems to remain with him for a long time? Have the Department any redress in a case like this?

In some cases there is delay and that is mainly due to the fact that when the inspector calls there is nobody in the house. I have asked that, where requested, the inspector will send a card to the owner of the house stating that he will inspect the house on a certain date.

Is that normal procedure at the moment?

In some cases yes, and in other cases it is not.

It appears the Minister is running a very inefficient Department.

It is not necessary to send a card in all cases but where it is requested there is no problem.

Is it standard procedure?

No, and it never was standard procedure.

It should be.

Will the Minister explain the reason for the delay in payment between the date of inspection and the date of receipt of the grant? Is he not aware that sometimes many months elapse between the date of inspection and when the house is passed for payment and the actual date of receipt of the cheque?

Sometimes the inspector has to report that some work is not completed and we wait for notification from the applicant telling us the work it done. It is a procedural matter.

I am talking about the time that elapses between the date the house is passed for payment and the actual date of payment. Why is there a delay in such instances?

I am not aware that that is the position.

The time span can run into months.

I am aware that there may be a delay when the work is not completed to the satisfaction of the Department. Frequently the matter may have to be given to the supervisory inspector to deal with the case.

Will the Minister state what time-span he suggests should exist between the date of inspection and issue of the cheque?

I have no idea. It depends on many things, as the Deputy well knows.

The Minister said he was processing 2,000 applications per week and that there were 40,000 applications. That would mean five months before every case is processed. Is the Minister satisfied with that?

Yes.

That means some of the applications will not be processed until June and, if the job is not satisfactory, how can all of them be completed by 1 October?

I am happy that the rate of progress is quite satisfactory.

What does the Minister consider a reasonable delay between inspection and payment?

I cannot say. As I have said already, it depends on a number of things.

If the Minister finds as we approach September that some applications have not been dealt with, will he consider extending the time?

I have not looked into that yet. It does not arise at the moment.

The Minister must accept that it is a reasonable request. Will he give some assurance to the House about this matter?

I will review the position as we go along.

Will the Minister explain to the House the reason for delay in payment of a grant after a house has been inspected finally and after the inspector has recommended payment?

In some cases there is a delay of only one month.

It takes a month to post a cheque?

With the permission of the Chair I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 21 on today's Order Paper.

29.