Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister indicated that the estimated cost of the grant scheme will be €130 million. However, if there is to be a payment of €100 per household, is the Minister basing his calculation on the assumption that 1.3 million households will claim it? People in rural areas can apply. Persons who do not have a connection to the public water supply can avail of this grant. My understanding is that there are closer to 1.9 million households in the State. If there are 1.9 million households in the State, the Minister is talking about €190 million. I ask the Minister to address that point. The number of households in the State is not 1.3 million; it is closer to 1.9 million which brings this figure of €100 per household to €190 million. Is the Minister saying that 600,000 are deviant and only 1.3 million will be deserving of the grant? Is the Minister assessing that there are only 1.3 million households in total which can avail of it?

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