asked the Minister for the Environment when the level of new house grants will be updated.

I have no proposals at present for an increase in the new house grant of £1,000.

In view of the fact that the grant in 1972 was £900 is it not reasonable for the Minister, 11 years later, to consider increasing it? The grant is £1,000 but since it was increased to that figure inflation and building costs have increased.

On the surface, what the Deputy says appears to have some validity but if one looks at the effect the grant had on the price of housing one would see that in real terms the benefit did not go to the house purchaser. The whole idea behind the scheme was to give first time purchasers of houses direct financial assistance. I suggest that the £3,000 mortgage subsidy scheme introduced by the Deputy's party is a more effective way of meeting the social requirement the Deputy has identified.

The Minister should bear in mind that many elderly people cannot be considered for the latter scheme because a prerequisite of it is that they must have negotiated a loan. That clause militates against such people. Obviously there is an imbalance in the system.

Relative to the objectives of the housing grant scheme and the limited finances available to us I cannot agree with the Deputy.

I take it that people can look forward to having to cope with the grant limit being kept at £1,000 for a long period? That grant is not comparable to the grants available to people in Northern Ireland.

The only thing the Deputy can take from my reply is that we do not have any proposal to increase the £1,000 grant available at present.

May I take it that at some stage it will be increased?

The Deputy may take it that it will be constantly under review.