Garage fittings and the house grant
Fahey asks whether a garage can be developed while qualifying for the £2,000 grant and challenges the restrictions on fittings. The Minister says the 125-square-metre limit remains and the regulations prohibit residential-style garage fittings.
asked the Minister for the Environment in view of the fact that he is now prepared to give a grant for the construction of a house to everybody, irrespective of the size of the house, if he will allow the development of a garage by people building a first-time house, who wish to qualify for the £2,000 new house grant.
Comment on this
The answer is no. The floor area limit of 125 sq. metres (1,346 sq. ft.) continues to apply in the case of the £2,000 new house grant.
Comment on this
Does the Minister of State accept that requesting an applicant for a grant to "remove the light fittings, power points, skirting board and internal wall plastering from the garage" is extremely harsh especially in view of the fact that grants have been approved for houses with garages developed in such a way over the past ten years?
Comment on this
This arises from the housing regulations 1980. Anyone applying for a grant is made aware of the regulations regarding fittings and so on in the documentation which is supplied to them. Many people still persist in having these fittings in garages and develop them for residential purposes which is not permissible.