asked the Minister for the Environment (a) the cost of applications approved to date for the reconstruction grant scheme but not paid; and (b) the estimated cost of applications in hand but not yet approved.

63.

asked the Minister for the Environment the total cost of the applications processed for home improvement grants up to 30 September 1986.

I proposed to take Question Nos. 44 and 63 together.

The estimated value of grant approvals not matured for payment at the end of September 1986, including cases covered by the special dispensation from prior inspection, is £146 million. It is not possible to estimate with accuracy the value of applications on hands but not yet approved, since eligibility for grants in these cases remains to be determined following necessary checks in the Department and inspection of the houses concerned.

The Minister of State says the estimated value of grant approval is £146 million. Would he care to explain to this House how the £24 million which is in the Estimate for 1986 for reconstruction grants will cover that? Would the Minister ensure that a full Estimate will appear in the 1987 Estimates to cover the balance?

The number of applications to date is approximately 117,000. The number of approvals at the end of September was 83,000 including cases covered by the special dispensation in February of 1986. The estimated value of the approvals to date is £160 million. That represents an average value per approval of £2,000. Allowing for payments made up to the end of September, which are £14 million approximately, the value of the outstanding approvals is £146 million. It is not possible to give the estimated cost of applications not yet approved, but the general feeling is that £24 million will be adequate to cover the cost of completions by the end of this year.

The Minister says he has 117,000 applications on hand at approximately £2,000 per application. That would be, altogether, a figure of £234 million. He has £24 million in the Estimate, a shortfall of £210 million. The estimated time scale of the payment of a grant is six to nine months. Will the Minister assure this House that there will be £210 million in next year's Estimate, the figure needed to pay the grants for 1987?

We cannot anticipate the Estimates.

I am not in a position to anticipate Estimates, as the Ceann Comhairle said. I have no doubt that this Government have every intention of honouring their obligations.

Is the Minister aware of the long delays that are involved at the moment. The Minister is trying to keep within the £24 million by long delays for inspections, approvals and final inspections and delays in sending out cheques.

Notification of completions are coming in at the rate of 1,200 a week which creates quite a problem.

The problem is that the Department have not got the money.

The money is there. Every completion and every application has been honoured to date. The Deputy is trying to distort the whole picture and mislead the House. Perhaps he will give me one instance of people being refused simply because there is no money available.

The Department are delaying, and delaying, and delaying.