asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in the payment of a reconstruction grant to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.

There has been no undue delay in dealing with this case. My Department are awaiting notification that the work is complete and ready for inspection.

17.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a new housing grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

An application for a new house grant was received from the person named in respect of a house provided by Galway County Council. As it is understood from the council that the applicant is a tenant and has not in fact, contracted to purchase the house, the application was rejected on 3 February 1981.

18.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a grant in respect of heating installation will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.

A grant of £254 was paid on 9 October 1980. The applicant recently queried the amount of grant paid and the inspector has been asked to reexamine the estimate of the cost of the work to ascertain if an increase in the grant is warranted.

Will the Minister state when an application in this case was made?

An application was received on 3 January 1980.

19.

asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in paying a home improvement grant to an applicant (details supplied) in County Dublin.

The grant will be paid shortly. The delay in dealing with the case has been due to the large volume of applications with my Department.

Will the Minister state when the application was made?

On 31 January 1980.

That is 14 months ago.

The Deputy did not worry too much when his Government ditched them overnight.

Fianna Fáil abolished reconstruction grants.

20.

(Cavan-Monaghan): asked the Minister for the Environment if a person (details supplied) in County Cavan is an applicant for a home improvement grant; the date on which he applied; if the file has been referred for inspection as indicated in his statement of 26 January 1978; the result of the inspection; the reason for the delay in making payment; and when the grant will be paid.

My Department have no record of an application from the person named. However, an application for a house improvement grant was received on 12 November 1976 from a person of the same address but with a different Christian name and presumably this is the case to which the question refers. In that case a grant of £200 was allocated in February 1977. I can confirm that the file in this case had gone for inspection as the Deputy was informed on 26 January 1978. Following the inspection, the grant was revised to £600 since the work had not commenced. The applicant was so informed on 23 May 1978. The grant will be paid when an inspection establishes that work has been satisfactory completed and is in order for payment. The inspection will be arranged when the applicant notifies the Department that work is complete.

21.

Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan is an applicant for a new house grant; the date on which he made application; the number of occasions on which he has communicated with the Department about the grant; when the grant will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

There is no record in my Department of the receipt of a new house grant application or corresponsence relation to a grant from the person named.

The question asked the number of occasions on which the person involved has communicated with the Department.

There is no record in my Department of an application in this case.

That was not the question. The question asked how often the person concerned communicated with the Department in connection with his application, which the Department say they have not received.

I have no correspondence on the file in regard to it.

Is the Minister saying he never heard of the application?

The Deputies opposite can read the question. With regard to the name of the person which Deputy Fitzpatrick gave to the Ceann Comhairle's office, there is no record in my Department of receipt of a new house grant application or correspondence relating to a grant from the person named. I shall not divulge the name of the person.

Will the Minister please answer the question? How often has the person communicated with the Department on the subject of this apparently lost application?

I have not that information.

Why not?

I do not know. There is no application in my Department.

The question asks how often the person has communicated with the Department. Obviously he has been in touch with the Department on a number of occasions. The Minister must know how often he has communicated with the Department. Will he please tell the House?

Much of the time of my officials is wasted with a lot of wrong information.

We can appreciate that.

This man has communicated with the Department but it appears the Minister is not able to give us any information.

I have nothing on the file to say he has communicated with the Department.

Question No. 22 is for written reply.

23.

asked the Minister for the Environment when reconstruction and sewerage grants will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.

Payment of the balance of the reconstruction grant is being arranged in this case. Water and sewerage grants will not be paid by my Department because Meath County Council have approved a disabled persons' grant which covers the provision of these facilities.

Does the grant include the provision of a public piped water supply and drainage facilities or does it relate merely to the reconstruction element?

It covers the water and sewerage ends.

Questions Nos. 24 and 25 are for written reply.

26.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid a home improvement grant.

There is no record in my Department of an application for a house improvement grant from the person named.

Has the Minister a record of correspondence in relation to this alleged application?

No.

Can the Minister say if he or the Department have ever heard of the person involved or of his having made any grant application on a home improvement matter?

Despite a check of solid fuel and new house grant applications there is no record of an application from the person.

27.

asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in dealing with the claim for a new housing grant by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.

There has been no delay in my Department in dealing with this case. The grant has been paid.

When was the grant payable?

On 24 March 1981.

It is a good job I put down the question.

It is the only way to get things done.

The application was received on 23 December 1980. It involved a lot of detailed work.

I have called Ceist 28. It would be very helpful to the Chair if the Minister would reply to the questions when they have been called.