(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if a person (details supplied) in County Cavan applied for a home improvement grant; the date of the application; the date the house was inspected; and when the grant will be paid.

The person named applied to my Department for a house improvement grant in April 1976 and following an inspection a grant of £200 was allocated in August 1976, under the former grants scheme. However, as a request for payment of the grant was not received in the Department on or before 31 January 1980, payment is now precluded by section 23 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979. Another application under the current grants scheme was received from the same person on 24 January 1980, and the Department's inspector has been asked for a report as soon as possible so that the applicant's entitlement to a grant on foot of this application can be determined.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The first grant was not paid because payment had not been applied for before 31 January 1980. Does the Minister not think that it is a bit unfair to debar this man from a grant simply because he did not apply before that date? Will the Minister ensure that he does not fall between two stools, the applicant I mean, and that he will get a grant under one scheme or the other.

I should like to throw some light on this for the Deputy's benefit. It has come to light that the same applicant made another application for a grant for plastering, floors and doors on 24 January 1980, in time to be considered under the scheme. However, that application was recorded in the County Leitrim index because the applicant had given an address in County Leitrim, the other application having been recorded in the County Cavan index, because the applicant had given an address in County Cavan and the two files were not associated. The applicant probably became confused between the two applications and may have assumed that the application of last August related to the January 1980 application. Apart from the standard letter of acknowledgment, action has not been taken on the current application because payment of the grant had not been claimed.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Minister agree that it is he and the Department who are a bit confused? Is he aware that a big area of west Cavan, from the parish of Glengoura, Gowha, right up to Killeshandra, have County Leitrim in their address? Carrick-on-Shannon is the prinipal post office. The Minister and the Department should be aware of that. Obviously it is they who have confused the matter, not the applicant.

The applicant was confused as well in regard to the address. I will have the matter attended to immediately and I will communicate with the Deputy. If the grant is in order——

Surely the unfortunate man knows where he lives.

9.