asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in payment of both a builder's grant and a new house grant to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.

There has been no delay. A decision in this case must await the receipt of additional information requested from the applicant.

My information is that all the relevant details have been submitted to the Department by the applicant. Will the Minister not agree that his Department are totally insensitive to the plight of many young married people who build their houses and do not rely on the local authority to supply them with houses? They have to obtain bridging loans which are——

Sorry, Deputy Griffin, but this question refers to a specific case.

——an inordinate and very heavy burden on many young couples.

I cannot allow an extension of the question.

The decision on the case must await the receipt of the additional information that has been requested. As the Deputy knows well, it is a condition of the scheme that the VAT registered work must be undertaken by a registered contractor, or a combination of VAT registered contractors, and must be not less than £15,000. Many of the things requested from the applicant have been submitted but there is still the outstanding issue referred to and until such time as we get the information we cannot proceed with the matter. I would request the Deputy to contact his constituent and perhaps ask the constituent to deal with our request. I will then see to it that he will get a quick response from the Department.