asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in acknowledging the application of a person (details supplied) in County Galway under the new housing grants scheme.

An application for a house improvement grant under the scheme for works commenced after 1 November 1977 was received in this case and, as was required under the scheme, the applicant was requested in July 1980 to submit evidence that he had, on or before 21 January 1980, commenced work, purchased the necessary materials or entered into a binding contract to have the work carried out. No reply was received. To qualify for payment of a grant under this scheme the relevant works had to be satisfactorily completed and a claim for payment received in the Department on or before 30 June 1981. No such claim was received in this case and payment may not now be made. There was no undue delay on the part of the Department in the processing of this application.

If this applicant has not commenced work and if the works proposed come within the categories specified it is open to him to apply for a grant under the new scheme of grants which I announced on 14 instant.

16.