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

A grant cannot be paid until an inspection establishes that the house has been satisfactorily completed and occupied and that all the conditions applying to the grant scheme have been fulfilled. Notification that the house is ready for inspection has not yet been received in my Department.

66.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will receive a new house grant.

The grant has been paid.

67.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a final inspection will be carried out and payment of a house improvement grant will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.

Arrangements have been made for the payment of a grant of £400 in this case in respect of the provision of sewerage facilities. A final inspection will be carried out within the next few weeks with a view to payment of the remaining grants approved.

68.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will ensure that no decision is given in relation to a house improvement grant application for a pre-1940 grant for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford until such time as a detailed outline of expenditure for the necessary works is submitted; and if on receipt of same he will consider approval for the £5,000 grant.

The applicant in the case was informed on 4 July 1986 that the application in respect of the pre-1940 dwellings grant was being rejected as contrary to a condition of the scheme the eligible repairs did not reach the minimum qualifying limit of £4,000. Grants are based on the costs of particular works as estimated by the Department's inspector using standard costings and not on contractors' estimates. No communication has so far been received from the applicant which would warrant a review of the decision already conveyed to him.

69.

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

There is no record of the receipt of an application for a new house grant from the person named.

70.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a prior inspection will take place for a house improvement grant application for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if it is permitted that payments of house improvement grants be paid directly to lending institutions where the applicant so agrees in order to arrange bridging finance.

In connection with the special dispensation from the prior inspection requirement arranged last February, notification issued to this applicant authorising him to proceed with the work in respect of which his application was made subject to the conditions of the grant scheme (other than the prior inspection requirement) applicable when he applied for the grant. However, as recently requested an inspection will be carried out within the next few weeks with a view to the approval of a grant.

There is provision under the scheme for the payment of grants in care of third parties, such as lending institutions, subject to the written consent of the applicant.

71.

asked the Minister for the Environment the level of approval which will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who has applied for a house improvement grant; and if it is obligatory that the applicant do the full amount of works specified or if the person can just carry out the works she applied for on the original application.

Grants amounting to £5,358 have been approved in this case under the following categories (a) water £158, (b) sewerage £400, (d) bathroom £800, (e) extension £2,000 and (f) necessary repairs and replacement of windows-doors £2,000. It is a condition of the scheme that except in the case of water and sewerage a grant cannot be paid until all repairs considered by the Department to be necessary to the house are carried out. It is accordingly necessary that the approved work under category (f) be carried out before payment of the bathroom or extension grants could be considered. However, payment of the repairs grant is not conditional upon the other works being carried out.

72.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a home improvement grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

On receipt of notification of completion of work, an inspection will be arranged with a view to payment of the grant.

73.

asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in carrying out a further inspection to the house of a person (details supplied) in County Louth in relation to his application for a new house grant; and when an inspection will be carried out.

The inspection has been carried out and the grant will be paid within the next few weeks.

74.

asked the Minister for the Environment when a final inspection will take place on works carried out by a person (details supplied) in County Offaly for a house improvement grant.

This grant was paid on 5 September 1986.

75.

asked the Minister for the Environment the reasons a new house grant has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan.

There is no record of the receipt of an application for a new house grant from the person named.

76.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will confirm initial approval of a new house grant and subsidy for a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.

Since the particular house was built otherwise than by contract the payment of a £1,000 grant is appropriate in this case as the house was substantially completed by 1 May 1985. Payment of the first instalment of the mortgage subsidy can only be made when the appropriate claim form, duly completed and certified by the relevant lending agency, has been received in the Department.