(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that some applicants have failed to qualify for new house grants because the floor area exceeds the prescribed maximum area because they wished to cater for the use of an invalid chair or carriage; and if he will review the regulations with a view to overcoming this hardship.

I am not so aware. As I am advised that the statutory maximum floor area of 125 sq. metres provides ample scope for the adaptations necessary to meet the needs of disabled persons, I do not, therefore, propose to increase the prescribed floor area for grant purposes.

(Cavan-Monaghan): I am very sorry. I just did not get the Minister's reply, but that was my own fault.

In a nutshell, I am not prepared to do what the Deputy is asking me.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Thanks very much for telling me that. Would the Minister not consider facilitating the very limited number of very deserving cases involved here? I have only come across two of them myself and I am sure they could be counted in dozens. It is to facilitate wheelchairs for invalids.

I have looked at a number of houses which were especially built under the regulations and where arrangements are made through the contractor on the building of a house. I am satisfied that this can be done.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister consider a case, for example, where an extra bedroom was added downstairs in addition to the other rooms that are normally downstairs so that the invalid could sleep downstairs?

There may be a possibility that that person may qualify for a grant under the disabled persons scheme. Is that not true? Are they not available in Cavan too?

(Cavan-Monaghan): I would ask the Minister to judge each of these cases on its merits and not to have a closed mind on it.

I have confidence in the engineering people. I presume the Deputy has some reservations about them——

(Cavan-Monaghan): None whatever.

I thought the Deputy had from the way he was talking. I am told by the technical people in the Department that wide passages, doors and so on can be provided when the house is being erected. I have an open mind on the matter. The technical and engineering people tell me there should be no problem in adapting a house of 125 square metres.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Minister not agree that civil servants can only administer policy and regulations as they are given to them? The Minister said he has an open mind on the matter and I am glad about that. I ask him to reconsider the matter and make it a little more flexible so that the people concerned can be facilitated even if they have built a house without making all the necessary provisions at the planning stage.

I asked the technical people to have a look at the matter because I wanted to know the position. I am very sympathetically disposed so far as handicapped people are concerned. I will look into the matter again but it will have to be backed up by a lot of facts.